


Where Do We Go From Here? (Previously: What Happens Now?)

by bythegraceandglory



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste Needs a Hug, And being entrusted with the safety of Paris, Angst, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Bad Parent Tomoe Tsurugi, Evil Lila Rossi, F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, It was a bad idea to make an already stressed Ladybug guardian, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Miraculous NY doesn’t really exist in this universe but you can pretend, Miraculous Weider Emilie Agreste, My own take on the Graham de Vanily mythos, Post-Episode: s03 Miracle Queen (The Battle of the Miraculous Part 2), Post-Season/Series 03, Self-Indulgent, Sentimonster (Miraculous Ladybug), That makes more sense than 13 year olds professing their love, The American version says they are sophomores, They are 16 or 17 in this because that makes more sense, evil Felix, ladybug needs a hug, no betas we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:36:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 53,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24780142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bythegraceandglory/pseuds/bythegraceandglory
Summary: Taking a deep breath, Emilie reached forward to touch the painting. Several five-pointed flowers- the Graham de Vanily family symbol- adorned the bottom of Adelaide’s dress. Emilie pressed three of them in a pattern that she knew by heart. The familiar sound of grinding gears echoed from within the painting, forcing Emilie and Amelie to step back. Then there was a loud creak as the painting opened.“I don’t think that will ever stop being creepy,” Emilie admitted. Amelie simply hummed in agreement.Hawkmoth knows the identities of Ladybug and Chat Noir's allies. Ladybug is the guardian. The guardian temple has reappeared, sparking the interest of many. Felix possesses one of the Graham de Vanily rings. Adrien is dating Kagami. Where do our characters go from here?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 36
Kudos: 74





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is just how I think season 4 and beyond could go. This was written in June 2020 when there weren't any movies or anything tv seasons past season 3.  
> It should be noted that I really do not like Lukanette or Adrigami and this will probably show.  
> Please just roll with the mini plot holes that arise. This is a just for fun writing thing and what's a good story without a few plot holes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *updated 11/26/20*

The Graham de Vanily was manor was just as cold and foreboding as Emilie remembered it. Her heels clicked on the tiled floor, echoing around the spacious main hall. Though she now lived with her boyfriend of four years, Gabriel, in an apartment on the other side of Paris, she still had her key and had been able to easily slip in.

Gabriel had always been confused as to why Emilie was so insistent on spending the winter solstice in a place filled with bitter memories from a lonely childhood. When she revealed the dislike of her childhood to him, she hadn’t fully understood her family history. Though she wouldn’t go as far to say she enjoyed being in the manor, she would suffer through it now to do her duty.

She had told Gabriel him that her reason for being at the manor was a family tradition she had with her twin, Amelie. It wasn’t a complete lie, but it also didn’t come close to touching the truth. Yet, even after four years, she was scared the truth would scare him away. Or even worse, make him want to steal her ring. She really did trust Gabriel, but there were some things better left unsaid. She didn’t even think Amelie had told Alexander and they had been married for a year.

Emilie didn’t know how long Amelie would take so she took to sitting in a chair off to the side of the main hall. Though the house hadn’t had any residents since Emilie moved out following her grandmother’s death two years ago, it looked no different than it did in her childhood. Perhaps that was more of a testament to her childhood than the present. Despite there being five full-time residents in the manor- Emilie, Amelie, their parents, and their grandmother- it was always empty. Their parents were often locked away in their studies pouring over history books, if they were not at the university or traveling. Their grandmother had turned into a recluse in later years and rarely saw anyone. Emilie and Amelie were practically raised by their tutors who came and went. Back then, no one cared enough to make the manor feel lived in, simply letting it turn into a museum that five people took shelter in.

A creak roused Emilie from her daydreams. Emilie turned her head in time to see Amelie walk in. A blast of cold air from the winter night blew in with her, causing Emilie to shiver.

Emilie rose and walked over to where Amelie stood. “Sister, it’s good to see you.”

Looking at Amelie was like looking in a mirror. Both women had blond hair and slanted green eyes. The difference was their dress. While Amelie chose to dress polished and business-like, Emilie would much rather be wearing sundresses and loose-fitting sweaters.

Amelie smiled and nodded. “Likewise, it’s been too long.” Emilie cringed at her sister’s tone. It was always _too_ happy to the extent that Emilie wasn’t sure if she was being serious or sarcastic.

“I take it you have the ring?” Emilie asked.

“Every year for the last five years,” Amelie chirped. Emilie simply nodded.

The two girls descended into silence. It’s not that they didn’t get along… they just could get along better. Perhaps they should, given that they didn’t have anyone else around in their childhoods, but they’ve always been so different. Emilie has always channeled her emotions into art, always wanted to be in the spotlight in the art scene. That’s why she was ecstatic to meet Gabriel, a budding designer. Amelie, on the other hand, was always more into numbers and planning. She wore happiness as a mask. While Emilie let her temper flare, Amelie used passive aggressivity as a cloak. And neither knew how to fill the awkward silences they frequently fell into after years of neglect from family member.

“Well, I suppose we should get going,” Emilie said. Amelie silently agreed.

The two girls walked through a doorway off to the side of the main hall, the click of their shoes against tile the only sound in the whole manor. They soon arrived at their destination. In front of them stood a large painting. Painted in it were two women standing hand to hand. They wore identical red dresses with sleeves that reached to their wrists and large flowing skirts, the style of medieval France when they had lived. The women were Adelaide and Beatrice Graham de Vanily, sisters who were two of the earliest members of their lineage.

Each sister wore a matching ring, the same rings that now adorned Emilie and Amelie’s fingers. Adelaide and Beatrice Graham de Vanily may have been the first pair to wear the rings, but they certainly would not be the last. Neither would Emilie and Amelie for that matter.

Taking a deep breath, Emilie reached forward to touch the painting. Several five-pointed flowers- the Graham de Vanily family symbol- adorned the bottom of Adelaide’s dress. Emilie pressed three of them in a pattern that she knew by heart. The familiar sound of grinding gears echoed from within the painting, forcing Emilie and Amelie to step back. Then there was a loud creak as the painting opened.

“I don’t think that will ever stop being creepy,” Emilie admitted. Amelie simply hummed in agreement.

Instead of there being a blank wall behind the painting, there was a hollow chamber, just big enough for two people to stand. Wordlessly, as after four years of this the two sisters knew what to do, they stepped into the hollow. Once they were inside, Amelie pressed a button on the side. The painting swung closed, leaving them in total darkness. Then they began the descent downward.

The elevator stopped moving and opened to a large cavern. Light filtered in from an ornate window at the opposite end. A walkway led forward over water to the main platform, bathed in moonlight.

The two sisters looked at each other in solidarity. Despite, whatever differences they had, in this moment they were united. There was no reason to assume that it wouldn’t be fine- it always is fine in in the end- but it was a nerve-wracking experience, knowing that the possible weight of the world was on their shoulders, even though no one else in the world realized it.

Although the walkway could have only been 10 meters at most, the clang of shoes against the uneven metal echoing around the otherwise still cavern made it seem like an eternity until the twins reached the dais.

“Here’s to another year of success,” Emilie said, giving a weak smile to her sister.

“Agreed.” Amelie chirped. She held out her hand to Emilie. Emilie gladly accepted, squeezing her sister’s hand tight.

There was no reason for the two sisters to hold hands. The ritual would work just as easily without the physical connection, as long as the rings were worn by pairs or people who represented two halves of a whole. Before Emilie and Amelie had worn the rings, they had belonged to their father and his brother. Someday, Emilie and Amelie would be expected to pass it down to one of the next generation of Graham de Vanilys. There was no reason that it had to be kept in the family; the rings could be utilized by anyone really, but it helped ease the burden to be a part of a family legacy and not alone in that regard.

The two twins began to chant in unison. “On this dark night, we shut the portal tight, for another year, the world will have no fear.” It was intention that mattered with the rings more than the actual poems, but the rhymes Adelaide and Beatrice concocted helped solidify the intentions.

As the sisters repeated the words over and over again, Emilie could feel the ring on her finger becoming warmer. It was the Graham de Vanily rings that held all the power: for a single wearer they could protect against death caused by magical or natural circumstances. When worn by pairs or people representing two halves a whole, they could open and close portals between worlds, at least momentarily. For centuries, closing the portal beneath the Graham de Vanily manor had been the job of the Graham de Vanily family.

When the sisters chanted for a third and final time, light pulsed out of the ring, bathing the cavern in white. Emilie’s elation for another successful year was short-lasting. She was overcome by an incredible dizziness and then nothing.

\----------

“Emilie, please wake up,” Emilie heard Amelie say through the darkness. Emilie slowly attempted to open her eyes, the world gradually coming into focus.

“’morning,” Emilie murmured. She was dimly aware that she had been laid out on one of the couches in the sitting room. She was lying on the one red couch, a small coffee table in front of it. Across it were two chairs, one of which Amelie was sitting on. A plaid blanket she recognized as a souvenier from her parents’ time in Scotland had been laid out over her and a fire crackled in the fireplace, bringing a physical warmth to the room. Any metaphorical warmth was gone, the mantle devoid of any family photographs and the walls lined with informational books.

“Actually, it’s night,” Amelie said. The girl who had previously been sitting, stood with her hands on her hips. The happy façade was gone, something that only happened when she was truly upset. “You should have told me you weren’t feeling well. You know, this takes a lot out of us, Emilie.”

“I’m fine. I always am.” Emilie rolled her eyes.

“No. You don’t get to roll your eyes at me. You could seriously get hurt one of these times.”

“It’s only once a year.”

“What happens if some year you’re pregnant? Or you have a family and I can’t even explain why you’re hurt? It’s- it’s- ugh!” Amelie shouted to no one in particular.

“Amelie?” Emilie asked. Though, her sister’s frustrations had been directed at her moments before, she now felt like they had shifted.

“Why do we do this? Why are we a part of something we can’t even tell other people about for fear of driving them away or them taking power for themselves? I’ve been married to Alexander for a year and still don’t know how to say ‘my family has magical rings that closes portals and it’s my responsibility as my generation’s warden to close the shadow realm portal under our family manor and my ring provides immortality to the user.’ And moreover, how do we even know it is a shadow realm portal?”

“I- what?”

“What if it is nothing? We could take the rings and live out our immortal lives somewhere warm and happy? Instead, we’re tied to a legacy of people who never cared about in a dusty old manor. There are days when I get really tired of it all.”

“You don’t really mean that.”

Amelie sighed and sunk down onto one of the velvety chairs. “I suppose not. It’s just a thought. It would be easier than lying and constantly having to be on guard even during the one time of the year when we need to close the portal.”

“I know, but it’s our duty.”

“We always say that, but what are you going to do when Gabriel proposes? Are you going to live your whole life lying to him and any family you have?”

“I could tell them the truth?” Emilie tested out. While Amelie yelled at her, Emilie knew that part of her panic was directed at her relationship with Alexander.

“And risk them running out? Or him not wanting our children involved? Or him taking the rings and ditching?”

“Isn’t that what you just suggested? Amelie was silent so Emilie continued. “Mother stayed.”

“Mother didn’t know what she was thinking.”

“Amelie?” Emilie’s brows furrowed.

“I’m fine,” the girl quipped.

“If you aren’t-” Emilie started.

“I said that I am fine.” Amelie sucked in a breath. The happy façade returned, Amelie’s face going from tired to cheerful within the second. It was scary. “I’m going to go. Will you be okay?”

“I should be. I told Gabriel I might be gone for the night. I can sleep here if I need to.”

Amelie nodded. “Call me whenever you return. I’ll see you soon, dear sister.”

Emilie watched as Amelie’s figure disappeared through the doorway. A loud boom signaled that the entryway had been open. At least if she stared the night it would be hard for intruders to sneak up on her.

Alone in the old house, Emilie let her thoughts wander. Even though she thought that Gabriel would propose soon, she hadn’t thought much about the logistics of it. She had just assumed that someday she’d tell him and it wouldn’t be an issue. But what Amelie had said about children… Emilie had never considered that far ahead. She had always been content with living in the moment. Yet, thinking about it now… she didn’t love the idea of getting a child involved in this life. Facing the loneliness she endured. While she could handle the occasional fainting spells that came with the ritual, she didn’t love the idea of children suffering through that.

And she couldn’t deny that Gabriel was ambitious. She had fallen in love with him because of that ambition and she always assumed it was only in relation to fashion, but she couldn’t truly be certain it wouldn’t translate to immortality if the chance came.

Emilie sighed and looked at her watch. The time “11:00 p.m.” blinked up at her. She felt better than she had before, but not well enough to ride the train or walk across Paris. She resigned herself to the prospect of spending the night in the manor. At least it was warm with the fire.

Still, Emilie was too wired to sleep. She slipped from her spot on the couch and walked through the silent manor to the wall safe, hidden behind another painting. She punched in the code she knew by heart. Inside, was an old worn book, a butterfly-shaped pin, and a cracked peacock broach.

The three objects had been gathered by one of Emilie's ancestors on a trip to Tibet. Her ancestor had been focused on tracking down any other magic in the world. In several texts he had found evidence of a temple of guardians. He scoured Tibet, but was only able to find a book and the two jewelry pieces- he later learned were called the _Miraculous_ \- in the location the temple was supposed to be.

Emilie took the book with her and resumed her position on the couch beside the fire. The manuscript was in coded Chinese, but the Graham de Vanilys had always prided themselves on knowledge. Emilie grew up taking Chinese and cryptography classes for the sole purpose of being able to translate the book. To actually read it, she would still need the notebook she kept at her apartment, but for now, she would just pour through the pictures of past Miraculous wielders who had welded unimaginable power as she tired herself out.

\----------

It was late morning when she returned the apartment she shared with Gabriel. She still remembered the day she had met him. She had been 18 and unsure of what she wanted to do with her life. While Amelie had no problem going to a university to become a historian or businesswoman, Emilie had wanted to be a part of something more creative. She decided to take a gap year and work on developing hidden artistic talents.

She had gotten into the habit of spending Sunday mornings in one of the many Parisian art university’s coffee shops with her childhood friend Audrey Tournesol, who had been accepted and was a design student there. Audrey had already made a name for herself as a fashion critic in a local paper, but was looking to actually study the intricacies of design in more formal setting as well as publishing.

After several weeks of doing that she had saw _him_ watching her intently, with a sketchbook and pencil in hand. There had been another girl with him, one she would later be introduced to as Nathalie Sancouer. Gabriel’s face blanched when he realized that Emilie had noticed him and was walking towards the table he and Nathalie were sitting at. While Audrey had wanted her and Emilie’s table to be in the middle of the room to increase social visibility, Gabriel was tucked in a back corner near a window, allowing him to observe others while attempting to go unnoticed himself.

“Were you sketching me?” Emilie had asked, sweetly, taking in the drawing of her on his open sketchbook he hastily tried to close.

“I- sorry- I didn’t mean to- you’re just very beautiful-” he stammered.

Emilie giggled. “I don’t mind. It’s very sweet. Do you sketch me often?”

“I- only in these last few weeks-” Gabriel admitted.

“I’m Emilie,” she reached out her hand.

“Gabriel Agreste,” he shook her hand.

That had been five years ago. Since then Emilie had stepped into a career as a model, first for several small brands, and then for Gabriel. She had even starred in a movie sponsored by Audrey’s husband during that time. Gabriel, who had gotten bolder since she met him in the coffee shop, was slowly building up his design firm, with some helpful recognition from Audrey who had risen about her original column and created her own fashion magazine. Emilie and Gabriel had started dating a year after their meeting and were going strong ever since.

Emilie walked into the kitchen of the small apartment to find Gabriel passed out, pencils and papers with designs on them strewn everywhere. Emilie chuckled. This wouldn’t be the first time she had found him like this, so engrossed in his work that he had fallen asleep.

“Gabriel,” Emilie murmured, lacing her fingers through his hair.

“Wha-?” Gabriel’s eyes were wild as he snapped out of sleep. His entire face softened when he found Emilie staring at him. “Emilie, you’re home,” he whispered, adoration lacing his groggy voice. Emilie knew that to those who didn’t know him, Gabriel could come off as cold and uncaring, but when he truly cared about people, he put his whole heart into it.

“I am,” she smiled. Gabriel’s glasses were lopsided on his face, so she adjusted them, placing a chaste kiss on his nose, causing him to blush.

Gabriel looked down at the kitchen table, jumping when he took in the state it had been left in.

Emilie just giggled again. “I’ll get breakfast if you want to get the table ready?”

“Actually, I was hoping we could go to the old coffee shop where we met?” Gabriel says, pushing himself up on shaky arms.

“Oh? Any reason?” They hadn’t been to that place in years.

“I just thought we could change things up. We haven’t been out for a brunch date in a while.”

\--------

Despite being a cold December day, it was rather lovely out, with the sun reflecting against the Seine and Christmas decorations decking various shop windows. Emilie had bundled herself up in a winter jacket, gloves, and a hat, but still clung tightly to Gabriel, eager to be close to him. He seemed to reflect that sentiment, resting his head against hers as they walked.

When they reached the coffee shop, Gabriel let go of his hold on Emilie, holding the door open and allowing her to walk in. Emilie took a moment to simply bask in the warmth provided by the small coffee shop.

After selecting their respective drinks, Gabriel led Emilie back to the door.

“Back to the cold, already?” Emilie teased.

“I-” Gabriel started, not immediately catching the joke. He softened though when he caught it. “Oh. No, I was just thinking it would be nice to eat outside at a bench overlooking the Seine.”

“That sounds lovely.”

The couple walked out of the café to sit in a bench. After a few moments of silence, Emilie began to speak. “Gabriel, I-” Whatever Emilie had planned to say next caught in her throat when she saw Gabriel kneeling on one knee, an engagement ring in hand.

“Emilie, my love, these last four years have been some of the best in my life. I want to continue to spend my life with you, to have someone to celebrate my joy with and stand by me in my struggles. I want to build a life with you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

 _Yes_. Emilie’s heart screamed. But Amelie’s words came back to her from the night before. Would Gabriel want to build a life with someone who would always put her own life at risk and even allow their children’s lives to be at risk someday?

Gabriel’s face fell in her hesitation. “Emilie, I know we hadn’t talked about this, but I thought you wanted this. I thought _we_ wanted this.”

Emilie’s eyes widened in horror and she reached out to stop Gabriel from rising. “No! I mean I do. Of course, I want to marry you.”

“But?”

“There’s so much you don’t know.”

“Then tell me, my love,” Gabriel said, taking her hand and sitting down with her on the bench.

Emilie took a deep breath. If she was ever going to trust him with this information, now was the time, but it was her family’s secret to bare. She wanted to trust Gabriel, but it was a high price to pay if they were wrong. “It’s just you know my family, lonely childhood. I don’t want any child of ours to feel that lonely, but I worry, I might revert to that upbringing.”

Gabriel searched her eyes. “That’s all?”

Emilie gave him a tight-lipped smile and prayed that he didn’t notice the way that it didn’t reach her eyes. “Yes.”

Gabriel chuckled. “That’s not so bad. For me, kids aren’t that important. And you’re so kind, I’m sure that if we did have kids, you wouldn’t abandon them. Now, if that really is it, will you please marry me?”

Emilie hugged Gabriel. “Of course, Gabriel. With all my heart. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Gabriel echoed. “I would do anything for you.” Emilie, who had melted into the embrace moments before, stiffened. _Anything_ was a dangerous word.

She would find a way to tell Gabriel someday. But for now, she would just try to relish in his love. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to leave kudos or comments (likes, dislikes, general comments)! Constructive criticism is always appreciated (I do this to practice, improve, and define my writing style and would love to hear what works and what doesn't)!


	2. Childhood and Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 10 years after Gabriel proposed to Emilie, Emilie and Amelie continue to perform the ring ritual. But all is not well between the two sisters. Tensions rise, broken Miraculouses are put to use, and ancient beings rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sort of like the idea of an evil Emilie Agreste and wouldn't hate it if the tv show went in that direction, but this is the way this story is going.
> 
> *updated 12/27/20*

Emilie Agreste looked out the window of the apartment she shared with her husband, Gabriel, and their eight-year-old son, Adrien. As she gazed out into the dark night, she tried to find the courage to make her way to the manor and complete the yearly ritual. It had been ten years since she had first had a serious fainting spell after using the rings- ten years since Gabriel proposed- and yet, she still got nervous every time. While it was never as bad as that night, Emilie often felt faint after performing the closing spell. Emilie wished desperately that her father hadn’t died before Emilie and Amelie were supposed to start training when they turned 18. She wanted to know if feeling faint was a normal part of the process, or if she was not supposed to wear the ring. She had scoured old journal entries of past Graham de Vanily ancestors, but came up with nothing. There was one mention that said fainting could be a result of motions on the other side of the portal, but that was nothing she had shared with Amelie.

In those eleven years, much had changed, not in the least herself. She swapped her sundresses for business suits, taking a more active role in the administrative and economic decisions of Gabriel’s fashion brand. It seemed like the days of acting and modeling, which really were only ten years ago had vanished. However, as long as she could see her son happy, it was fine with her.

She did her best to give Adrien a livelier childhood than she had. Gabriel had been against the idea of school, having been a social recluse himself who felt that public school had not benefited him. Emilie compromised this matter, making sure that Adrien get plenty of socialization with Audrey’s daughter, Chloe.

Besides, with Adrien being homeschooled, she was easily able to slip in a Chinese tutor. While over the years she had opened up more about her family’s past, there were still things she was hesitant to tell Gabriel about- particularly magic involved in it and her possession of the Miraculouses and grimoire. However, she wanted Adrien to be able to read the grimoire when he was old enough. For now, she would tell Gabriel that it was to sharpen Adrien’s critical thinking and help him be competitive in a global economy.

Then there was Amelie. She too had a son who was eight just like Emilie, each year she got increasingly tired with the necessity. They were still eleven years away from needing to tell their sons the truth behind the Graham de Vanily rings and yet, she knew that every time Amelie looked at Emilie’s weakened form she was wondering if her own son, Felix, wouldn’t suffer the same way.

“Mother, what are you doing?” Emilie was roused from her daydreams by the high-pitched voice of her son. She turned to see him walking towards him, wearing clothes designed by his father. Though his clothes might scream _Agreste_ , his blond hair and green eyes were clearly Graham de Vanily traits.

Emilie crouched down to Adrien’s level, opening her arms for him to hug her. Clutching him closer to her as he fell into her embrace, she stroked his hair comfortingly. “I need to go to my childhood home. You remember. I do this every year.”

She pulled back to look Adrien in the eye, but kept their hands clasped.

“I know, but I miss you every year,” the boy pouted.

“I promise I’ll be back soon. What if you ask your father to watch a holiday movie with you?” she suggested, even though she wasn’t sure Gabriel would go for the idea. 

“Father never does anything fun with me,” Adrien said, deject and sorrow clear in his voice.

Emilie internally sighed. She loved Gabriel dearly and she knew that he loved Adrien in his own special way, but he wasn’t very affectionate with the boy.

“Okay, what if you plan out a special day for the two of us tomorrow, that we have to drag your father on.”

Adrien’s eyes lit up at that. “I can do that!”

“I’m glad.” Emilie laid a kiss on the tip of Adrien’s nose before straightening and walking to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby. Be a good boy while I’m gone?”

“I will!” Adrien called, already going to find a pad of paper and pencils to formulate his perfect day with his mother.

\----------------

Emilie arrived at the manor to find Amelie already there. She leaned against the building’s exterior beside the door, arms crossed and taking Emilie in. A scowl graced Amelie’s usually genial facial features. Emilie supposed she couldn’t blame her: every year this felt more and more like a chore.

“You’re here,” Amelie observed, though her words were laced with annoyance.

“Adrien wanted to say goodbye,” Emilie admitted. Amelie simply nodded and leaned away from the wall so that she could open the door.

Emilie walks in the manor, cold as always in these winter months. Amelie follows her and the sisters proceed in the ritual that they have done for far too many years. Like clockwork, they move through the mansion, to the cavernous bowels. They hold each other’s hands and chant and if Emilie feels a little faint, she does not show it.

All is well until they re-emerge from the elevator and Emilie speaks. “We should consider training Felix and Adrien.” This is something that Emilie has thought long and hard about. There was always a risk that something could happen to her and her sister before Adrien and Felix reached age eighteen. Her parents and uncle’s deaths were a coincidence, a death from unnatural causes that even the Graham de Vanily rings couldn’t protect them from. They needed to ensure that their future was secure.

Emilie was so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed the footsteps that stopped behind her. She spun around in confusion.

“Amelie…” Emilie’s brows furrowed. The manor was dark as it always was- there was no point using electricity only a few hours a year- but for the first time Emilie felt the tell-tale signs of nervousness. Her body was cold and not from the lack of heat. Her voice sounded hoarse as she called out for Amelie again, hearing only the echoes of her own voice. It had to be in her imagination and yet the dark doorways loomed larger and larger, threatening to swallow her too.

“I won’t let you hurt him!” Emilie turned to see Amelie lunge out of the shadows. Emilie instinctually through a hand up in the air to brace herself. 

“I’m not going to hurt anyone!” Emilie yelled. Amelie had landed on top of Emilie. The hand Emilie had initially thrown up to defend herself was now being held above her head as Amelie clawed at it. Emilie’s eyes widened. Her sister was trying to take her family ring.

“You’re going to hurt Felix and I won’t let you.” Amelie shouted, more a result of the passion running through her veins than any desire to be heard if their close proximity was any indication.

Emilie closed her fist. Fighting against the writhing sister above her, she shifted her legs to get her balance back. With the right leverage and a quick knee movement she had learned from one of the many self defense classes Gabriel insisted she take, she was able to roll Amelie off her and move to a crouching position.

“He won’t be hurt!” Emilie’s voice matched her sister’s passionate tone.

Amelie lay on the ground, panting, the adrenaline from her earlier outburst having previously drained her. She still had enough energy for a retort. “Like you don’t get hurt? Like Father didn’t get hurt?”

Emilie felt the wind go out of her at the mention of their father. “He, mother, and Uncle August died in a car accident.”

“On December 21st. I heard Grandmother on the phone. He collapsed behind the wheel, exhausted from the power of the ring.”

Emilie remembered that day so clearly. Emilie and Amelie had had a Christmas piano concert that night. Their grandmother had taken them there, the rest of the family promising to meet them there, even their Uncle August who rarely came to visit. But they had never shown up.

Emilie felt the fight go out of her. Emilie crawled over to sit beside Amelie, who had pushed herself to a sitting position against a wall. “Why tell me now?”

“I never wanted to scare you.” There was a deep sadness in her eyes. “Uncle August and Father thought that the rings would make them invincible, but they only stop natural and magical deaths. They couldn’t protect them in a car accident.”

Emilie echoed that sadness. “We don’t have a choice.”

Amelie seized Emilie’s hands in hers. Her gaze and smile were earnest, excitement coloring her cheeks. “But we do have a choice. We can take the rings and leave, live out our lives free from all this burden. Adrien and Felix never need to be involved.”

“And who is responsible for sealing the shadow realm portal?” Emilie asked, not convinced by her sister’s logic.

A scowl replaced Amelie’s bright features. “Who says there even are shadow creatures on the other side! It hasn’t been opened in centuries. We’re risking ourselves for nothing.”

“And if it’s not nothing?” Emilie asked.

Amelie refused to meet Emilie’s eyes, staring at their still clasped, ring-adorned hands. “I’m sorry, Emilie.”

“You wanting out… this isn’t new, is it?” Emilie asked. The answer scared her, but she needed to hear it anyway.

“It’s not. I promise I don’t want the end of the world, but I just can’t keep being a part of these old rituals.”

“There’s no talking you out of this?”

“No.” Amelie shook her head.

“I’m not going to stop the ritual,” Emilie existsed.

“I don’t expect you to. I just can’t be a part of this.” Amelie slid from the ground. Sliding the ring from her finger she placed it on the floor beside Emilie. “Alexander got a job offer in London. I’ll do my best to keep in touch.” Then Amelie was gone, sashaying out the front door and into the cold night.

Emilie sat with her back pressed to the wall. The marble floor was cool on her legs despite the layers of clothes she wore. Her fingertips ghosted over Amelie’s discarded ring.

“What do I do now?” she whispered to the empty manor. No one answered.

\-----------

It was late when Emilie returned to her apartment that night. The lights in the entry way were off, blanketing the place in darkness. The pitter-patter of feet she usually heard when she returned home were absent, Adrien having gone to bed at this point.

Emilie shrugged off her coat and hung both it and her purse on the coat rack. She silently padded into the kitchen. Her mind was still racing and she wanted some chamomile tea to calm down.

As she neared the kitchen, she noticed a lamp was on. She hesitantly moved closer. She rounded the corner and jumped out of her skin when she saw a man sitting at the table.

“Gabriel!” she exclaimed, bringing up a hand to clutch at her chest as she collapsed against the wall, the initial shock leaving her.

Gabriel slowly lowered the newspaper he was reading in the dim light. “Yes, thought I can’t imagine why you’re so surprised given that this is my home and I have been where I said I would be all day,” he responded dryly.

On another day, Emilie might have brushed off Gabriel’s comments. He could be moody and rough around the edges, but she also saw his affectionate side that worked hard to show her his love. Even the sarcasm hid genuine worry for her. However, Emilie was exhausted and all she could do was let out a sob.

“Oh, my dear,” Gabriel got up from his chair and rushed over to his wife. If Emilie had looked she would have seen the concerned expression that marked his face. Instead, Emilie curled in on herself as she cried into her hands on their kitchen floor.

Gabriel sunk to the ground and wrapped his arms around his wife. He held her close and gently stroked her hair. “It’s okay, my love. It’s okay,” he murmured.

“No, it’s not!” she cried.

“Do you want to tell me?” he asked. Emilie shook her head against his chest. Gabriel paused before continuing. “Did someone… hurt you?”

“No!” Emilie shouted, pulling back to look into his eyes. “I just- things are changing. Amelie got into a fight.”

“You’re sisters. You’ll make up.”

“Not this time.” The admission sparked a new round of sobs in Emilie.

Gabriel continued to hold her close, this time not speaking, until Emilie finally calmed down.

They sat for a while on the cold floor, before Gabriel finally spoke. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Emilie sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. “There are things I need to tell you.”

Gabriel shifted so that he was holding both of her hands in his. “You can tell me anything.”

“But this…” Emilie trailed off. She sucked in a deep breath so she wouldn’t start crying again. “I lied to you for a long time Gabriel. I’m sorry.”

Emilie began to speak. She explained about the rings and the shadow realm portal, about how her sister refused to continue to help. The only thing she left out were the Miraculouses. The type of power they held could easily corrupt a person.

Gabriel, to his credit, remained stoic while Emilie spoke. He didn’t interrupt and continued to stroke her hands.

“Well?” Emilie asked, wanting him to finally respond when she finished speaking.

“Well what?” Gabriel asked.

“What are we going to do now?” Emilie asked.

“We’re going to do whatever you want. Your family, your life,” Gabriel shrugged. “I’m happy when you are happy.”

Emilie paused. “I think I would like to move back to my family manor.”

“Really?” Gabriel raised his eyebrows.

Emilie nodded. “I think it’s time. I’d rather be closer to the portal and Amelie won’t live there.” She reached into her pants pockets and removed the ring she held on to. “And I’d like you to wear this. We can tell everyone it’s a new wedding band. I would feel safer with you wearing it.”

“I can help perform the ritual with you,” Gabriel offered.

“The ritual works better with people who are blood relatives or true opposites, but we can try,” Emilie admitted. She would not admit that her other plan involved using the broken peacock Miraculous. But she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

Gabriel nodded. “I can also use money to up the security around the manor.”

Emilie knew that the real dangers were within the manor, but she knew that this was how Gabriel loved: he exerted control and protected the ones he loved. She nodded along.

“Adrien will be happy to see your childhood home,” Gabriel admitted. Emilie fixed him a questioning stare. Gabriel shrugged. “I may not spend as much time with my son as you, but I know that he idolizes you and would love to see any place that you grew up.”

Emilie hummed in agreement, before collapsing back against Gabriel’s chest. It would all be okay.

\----------------------

It had been years since Emilie, Gabriel, and Adrien had moved into the manor. Though Gabriel helped Emilie perform the ring ritual, Emilie could feel the portal weakening. Emilie was unwilling to call Amelie, instead wanting to manage things herself.

In the last year, Emilie had settled on using the peacock Miraculous to create sentimonsters to guard the portal while she slept. While she was awake, she could easily call on Gabriel for a ring ritual, but at night she had to be careful.

The creatures she created were small enough not to cause her any real harm, but Emilie knew that it was only a temporary measure. She knew that she would only hurt herself more if she continued to use the broken-Miraculous. Already, she knew that her fainting spells were becoming more noticeable. She brushed off Gabriel and Adrien, but knew that she would soon need to tell them the truth.

Emilie had poured through her ancestors’ research on magic. She was determined to travel to Tibet to find if there was anything she was missing there. She needed to find anyone or anything that could help her.

She found nothing in Tibet. Only snow and emptiness.

Upon her return, Emilie knew it was time to tell Gabriel about the grimoire and her use of the Miraculous. If anything happened to her, someone had to know the truth.

Gabriel accepted the book with a grimace. A part of him wanted to brush off Emilie’s story as a joke, but he knew that she would never joke about something like this. Besides, one look at her tired, pale face, told Gabriel that what Emilie said was true. Gabriel vowed to hold the grimoire close to him, even if his promise never to use the Miraculouses might be empty.

Still feeling the portal’s weakening and having exhausted all of her resources, Emilie knew it was time to call Amelie.

\---------------------

The portal was weakening and there was nothing she could do. Emilie sat in the bench in the entry way of her family’s manor- now called the Agreste manor- waiting for Amelie as she had so many times in the past. Only in that past, she had always known that Amelie would be by her side. Now, she had no idea. Now she anxiously waited, her heel clattering against the marble floor as she nervously bounced her leg, her finger twisting her engagement ring

Gabriel had insisted on staying by her side while her sister came to greet her, but she had insisted that he take Adrien somewhere for the next few days. _Father-son boding_ , she had claimed. So Adrien, her sweet, just-barely-teenaged son, and husband were spending the weekend in Milan, while she anxiously awaited Amelie’s arrival alone.

A part of Emilie wondered if Gabriel’s reluctance to leave was because he knew this could be her last stand, but she pushed those thoughts out of her head. This wouldn’t be the end: Amelie would help her and she would stop using the peacock Miraculous and get better.

The doorbell rang, echoing loudly through the hall. Emilie exchanged glanced down at the tablet, which showed Amelie looking into the gate’s camera. a look with her husband, who simply pulled up the monitor he kept on his tablet. She pressed a button on his tablet, allowing the main gates to swing open.

Pushing herself off the bench and negative thoughts out of her head, Emilie opened the front door. Her eyes widened when she took in her sister _and_ Felix, who she hadn’t noticed on the camera.

“Amelie,” she got out. “You brought your son?”

“It’s good to see you too,” Amelie said. She walked past a stricken-Emilie to enter the house, Felix trailing closely behind her. “Alexander was busy and I didn’t want to leave my only son with a babysitter. But he will stay upstairs, won’t you, Felix?” Amelie asked her son, her voice warbling a cheerful tone as usual.

“Yes, Mother,” Felix said.

“Adrien’s room is to the left,” Emilie said, though her eyes never left Amelie, whose eyes skirted over the many changes in the main hallway.

Felix was soon out of sight, while Amelie continued to gaze around the room. “You modernized the place,” Amelie commented.

“Yes. We wanted to make it ours,” Emilie bristled. She knew that Amelie was neither complimenting nor criticizing, but rather goading, but it still hurt. Gabriel was an accomplished designer who had worked hard to make a home for them. She would not have Amelie even daring to criticize.

Emilie’s anger was short lived as an electric tension filled the air. It was separate from the hostile waves that Emilie and Amelie had exchanged. A look to her sister’s own wide eyes told Emilie that Amelie felt it too.

“Take the ring!” Emilie shouted, holding out the rings she had taken from Gabriel that morning.

“What? Why?” Amelie shouted, but even as she did, she knew the answers. The tension was from the portal and she had made a great mistake.

The two sisters took off running, not noticing Felix slipping out of Adrien’s room to follow them.

Emilie punched in the elevator code. The portrait of the ancient Graham de Vanily sisters swung open, allowing for the sisters to slip in.

When they stepped out, the cavern was not like anything that had ever seen before. It was certainly not the peaceful cavern lit by moonlight and starlight that Amelie remembered nor the sunlight bathed room that Emilie remembered, with flickers in the air that warned her of something more. The room was dim. Neither sister could see the large window that was supposed to be at the end of the dais. Instead, there was a large curtain of darkness. Purple lighting flooded the surface. And from it came a creature that looked vaguely humanoid, save for the fact that it seemed to be made of a living shadow. Its skin, if it could be called that, seemed to swallow light as it descended from above.

Emilie’s breath caught and her blood ran cold. She jumped as she felt something touch her hand, but turning, she found that it was just Emilie slipping her hand in hers. Emilie felt some of her fear melt. It was like they were 18 again, they were in this together.

“On this dark night, we shut the portal tight, for another year, the world will have no fear,” Emilie began to speak. Amelie soon joined in.

As the sisters chanted over and over, Emilie could feel the ring on her finger growing warmer. The curtain of darkness seemed to be shrinking, but the creature still steadily approached them, even if he did move slowly.

The creature lunged at Amelie, breaking Emilie’s concentration. Emilie watched in horror as as the shadow monster tried wrap itself around a thrashing Amelie.

“Dusuu, spread my feathers!” Emilie cried. Amelie gaped at her sister around the shadow monster. Emilie paid no attention, working quickly to craft a creature out of Amelie’s fears. A giant eagle sprang from her hands, lashing out at the shadow monster. The monster fell back with a shriek which the eagle matched.

“We have to keep chanting,” Emilie yelled to her sister, who had doubled over with her hands on her knees. Amelie nodded and straightened, beginning to say the words again even if this time she appeared paler.

The sentimonster and shadow monster continued to spar, but that all faded to the background of Emilie’s mind. What mattered now, was closing the curtain of darkness she assumed was the portal to the shadow creature world she had been warned about.

Suddenly a white light erupted from the portal. She stared as it imploded on itself. The shadow creature regressed from its humanoid state and flew around the room like an airborne worm before disappearing.

“I don’t feel the portal anymore,” Amelie said, elation on her face, though even she was breathing deeply, with legs that threatened to collapse on her.

Emilie wanted to agree, but a splitting pain in her head and chest her kept her from responding. The world began to tilt.  
“Emilie!” Amelie cried. Emilie felt her sister’s hands on her cheeks. She felt around her neck for a pulse and gasped as she found the peacock broken Miraculous. “The Miraculous has been broken all this time,” she murmured. “Oh, Emilie.”

“Gabriel and Adrien,” Emili croaked. “T-tell them I love them.” Then the world went dark.

\-------------------

Gabriel had never been happier that he owned a private jet than when Amelie called him. He and Adrien didn’t even check out of the hotel, running straight to the airport to get back to Paris as soon as they could.

“What’s wrong, Father?” Adrien had asked. Gabriel hadn’t responded and Adrien had eventually given up trying for an answer.

Adrien was shocked to see Gabriel open the door to the manor with an urgency he had never seen before. He followed his father as he rushed to the living room. Adrien gasped when he saw his aunt leaning over his mother’s body, limp on the couch. Felix stood amongst the bookcases, looking on in silence.

Go to your room,” Gabriel ordered Adrien, not even turning to look at him.

“But-” Adrien tried to protest.

“Now!” Gabriel thundered.

When Adrien left, Gabriel went to crouch down beside Amelie and Emilie. “What happened?” he asked Amelie. Even as he did, his eyes never strayed from his unconscious wife’s face. He brushed a stray lock of hair off of her closed eyes. She looked so peaceful, simply like she was sleeping, and yet Amelie would not have called him hear if that had been the case.

“Did she tell you about the Miraculouses?” Amelie asked. Gabriel nodded, but it felt as though another person was making the motions. His mind was far from that place, wherever Emilie had gone to.

“Emilie used a broken Miraculous. I fear that it might have killed her, but she was wearing the Graham de Vanily ring. It protects the wearers from deaths by magic or natural causes.”

Gabriel sucked in a breath. “She’ll be okay?”

“I don’t know. She’s in a coma and I think it would take short of a miracle to revive her now. Not even modern medicine has the tools to help her.”

Gabriel felt his mind whirling. A miracle. As soon as his wife mentioned the Grimoire, he had begun to sneak peeks in her notebook, intrigued by her writings. He was not sure if Amelie knew it or not, but a miracle couldn’t be so hard for him to obtain even if he had to scour the world to do it.

“What of the portal?” Gabriel asked. His wife had been so set that the portal had been a danger when left unattended.

“A shadow creature broke through, but Emilie and I managed to close the portal. The portal seems to be gone now and I am pretty sure the shadow creature disappeared with it.”

 _That’s one less thing for me to worry about,_ Gabriel thought to himself. Emilie would never forgive him if he let evil seep into their world, but all he wanted to focus on was bringing her back.

“Leave us,” Gabriel commanded Emilie. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Amelie and Felix rise. “Leave the ring,” he added. If he was to take risks bringing Emilie back, he had to be safe from death too.

Amelie paused. “It’s mine by right.”  
“You gave it up. Now, leave it, it’s my wedding ring now,” Gabriel thundered.  
Amelie remained silent, but Gabriel heard a plink of metal falling on wood as she removed the ring. Shortly after he heard the slam of the main door.

“Oh, Emilie,” Gabriel whispered into his wife’s hair when Amelie was gone. “I promise to move heaven and hell to save you.”

\---------------

Amelie could have protested more when Gabriel demanded the ring, but in the moment all she wanted to do was get home. Her sister was gone. Though she had felt elation when they closed the portal, now all she felt was regret that she had let it get that far.

When she had returned from the cavern with Emilie in tow, Felix had been in the main entry way. She was so absorbed in her sister’s apparent “death” and then her husband’s that she didn’t notice the creeping darkness within him. She didn’t question when he started showing interest in the Graham de Vanily rings. No, now that she was safe, despite how much pain the rings had caused her, she would fight to get them back for her precious son.

She had made a mistake giving them up before, but they were her son’s legacy

\-----------------

The shadow monster who was wearing Felix’s skin remembered the Graham de Vanilys. The two sisters, Beatrice and Adelaide, had enlisted a mage to help them create a ring that had kept him and his brethren trapped for what eons. But now he had returned.

He had tried to find a host in the Graham de Vanily sisters, but the rings protected them from his possession. However, he had lucked out in finding another inhabitant of the manor: Felix Graham de Vainly. Though it would be a chore to masquerade as this boy, it was necessary step towards world domination.

His brethren would make no more efforts to open the portal on their end. Their champion was in the human’s world and, as soon as he found the right people to wield the rings, they were too.

\------------------

Adrien observed the many changes that fell around the manor without Emilie. Nathalie, who had been a friend of his parents who he just never met, stepped in as Gabriel’s assistant. The manor that had once seemed so vibrant and full of life, slowly reverted to a gilded cage without his mother’s warming presence. Even the tapestries and painting of her family disappeared as Gabriel turned the manor into a shrine for her.

Without his mother to push back against him working as a teenager, Adrien became a model for his father’s company, the only way he could truly still connect with his father. His schedule was now full, but he wanted something more: freedom and friends, to feel alive again and get out of the mausoleum the manor was turning into.

\---------------

Year later, Gabriel took the ring off Emilie’s finger, his own ring being stolen by his wife’s own nephew. There had been something off about Felix. Though he had never spent much time with the boy, he had thought his temperament was similar to Adrien’s. He had chalked it up to grief over his father dying, but it was still an inconvenience to lose the ring after all this time.

Gabriel sighed before turning away from his peaceful-looking wife. She would no longer have the ring to protect her, but the receptacle he had gotten her should be enough to preserve her. He needed the ring more than she did now. With it, he would be able to survive long enough to capture the cat and ladybug Miraculouses and grant her the miracle she needed.

To save Emilie- his light, his love- he had given himself to darkness.


	3. A New Normal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picking up at the end of season 3, Marinette trains to be a guardian at the renewed guardian temple.  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked the idea of an interdimensional demon haha. I just felt like there had to be a bigger reason that Emilie used her Miraculous.

The sun was shining and the birds were chirping, a stark contrast to the anxiety Marinette felt as she walked out of the school. Her chest tightened at the thought of another day of guardian training awaited her, another day where she risked failing and tarnishing Master Fu's legacy. She never got the impression that the monks disliked her, but they never failed to remind her that if she did not commit herself to the protection of the Miraculous, they could easily be dangerous in the wrong hands.

She was roused from her thoughts, by a cheerful voice. "Hey, girl, were you going to dash without saying goodbye?" the Ladyblogger asked, adjusting her pace to walk beside Marinette.

"No, I just wanted the fresh air."

"Good. I was almost worried you were avoiding me," Alya laughed.

Alya phrased it as a joke, but even so, Marinette's eyes widened. "Why would I do that?" Even as she asked Marinette realized that Alya's theory wasn't so far-fetched. No one else could possibly know how she spent most of her afternoons these days. It was no wonder that Master Fu had practically become a hermit. Marinette was only 16 and already on her way to solitude if it wasn't for school and her parents.

"Well, if you're not, would you like to hang out today?" Alya pressed 

“I would love to, but my parents need my help at the bakery/" The lie sounded natural on Marinette's tongue, which only made her stomach twist even more. She had gotten better at it over the years she’d been Ladybug, but still felt guilty when she did it.

"It seems like your parents have you doing that everyday. You need to take a break sometime,” Alya chided.

Marinette sighed. "I know. Just not today.”

“Alright,” Alya conceded. “But just know that you owe me.”

“I know that too. See you around,” Marinette started walking home, but slipped into an alleyway when she was sure the coast was clear.

Marinette opened her purse and Tikki flew up. “I'm sorry, Marinette, but you were entrusted with a great responsibility."

“I know, it's just hard. But Master Fu trusted me when he made me a guardian and I have to live up to his trust. It’s my duty.”

\--------------

The cold mountain air stung Marinette's skin through the wool uniform the monks had provided her. Despite her having an impervious super-suit at her disposal, the monks insisted that she be Marinette during combat training. While they gave her plenty of opportunities to learn about the full capabilities of the Ladybug Miraculous when they came of age, they were insistent that it was important for her to be able to defend herself and the box as a civilian. The age of twenty-four hour meditations without food or drink may have ended, but the old guardians did not go easy on Marinette. In addition to learning combat moves, the monks had her learning meditation techniques to commune with the inhabitants of the Miraculous and even just working on her balance.

After saying goodbye to Alya, Marinette had run to her bedroom where she had used the horse Miraculous and transport herself to the guardians’ temple, the same way she always did. Standing in the courtyard of the temple in a ring painted in the ever-present snow, she was acutely aware of how different this surrounding was from her warm bedroom.

Across from her in the circle stood an older monk, dressed in the same robe as she. The older monk stood in a fighting stance she had taught Marinette previously, knees bent and ready to pounce. Despite the monk’s age, she was an excellent fighter and had Marinette on her toes trying to keep up.

A loud whirring noise drew them out of their practice. They both looked up to see a helicopter appeared out of the sky. Marinette's stomach dropped. The monks never got visitors out here, at least not ones who couldn't transport via Miraculous.

“Hide, Marinette,” the monk whispered to her. Marinette didn't need to be told twice, darting into a shadowy alcove. It would have been better to hide inside, but she wanted to hear who was coming and what sort of danger they posed. For all she knew, it could be Hawkmoth in that helicopter. Besides, she had the horse Miraculous in on of the generous pockets of her combat uniform if she needed a quick escape.

Marinette heard the crunch of snow as the helicopter landed in the courtyard. Marinette took the moment to steal a glance out of the alcove. She realized belatedly that her hiding spot was across from the nose of the helicopter and when she moved her head the helicopter's driver would have an easy view of her if they looked. Except for the fact that, despite the helicopter only landing seconds ago and the engine still humming, no one sat in the cockpit.

Both the monk, adjacent to the helicopter's door, and Marinette watched as the helicopter's engine went silent. As the helicopter's back door opened, Marinette pressed herself to the shadowed wall. From her vantage point, she was just able to make out long legs with flowy pants stride toward the monk who stood her ground. 

"Dear sister," the voice said, addressing the monk. It took everything in Marinette not to gasp even as her eyes widened. Sure, she was hearing the voice across a courtyard, but she recognized it from when she had stood beside its owner. Suddenly not seeing anyone in the cockpit made sense. Tomoe Tsurugi was standing in the courtyard of the guardian temple. 

“Tsurugi-san,” the monk said, confirming Marinette's suspicions. “To what do we owe this visit.”

“I am very interested as to why my daughter was not given the Ladybug miraculous,” Tomoe snapped. Marinette's eyes widened even farther. The hostility she once held towards Kagami had faded, but the thought of Kagami wearing her Miraculous was absurd. 

“That was a decision made by Master Fu. He thought that the current Ladybug was he best one for the job.”

“I have spent Kagami’s whole life training her to follow in the footsteps of her ancestor, a previous Ladybug. She has discipline, she has self-control. I kept her away from the outside world so it would not influence her and so there would be no suspicions as to her identity. She is the perfect vessel for the ladybug Miraculous.” Marinette felt sorry for Kagami. It would be impossible to live up to such a legacy. She was glad that she had managed to find friends in her and Adrien, even if it hurt her that she was the girl Adrien was in love with.

“Through no fault of your daughter's Ladybug has already been chose. It is not our responsibility nor our desire to revoke this decisions."

There was a long pause before Tomoe spoke again. “I see. Do expect to be hearing from me again,” Tomoe said. With that, she turned on her heels and got back into the helicopter, urging it to fly away.

Marinette listened as the beating of the helicopter's blades faded into the distance. "Come out, Marinette,” the monk called when it was silent again.

Marinette sheepishly walked out from where she had hidden in the shadows. “Yes, master?” she asked. She was careful to stand with perfect posture as instructed.

“You heard all of that?” she asked.

“Yes, master," she blushed. Though the monk had never told her she couldn't listen in on the conversation, she understood it was rude. She would not put it past the monk to give her extra training.

"Are you alright?" the monk asked, instead of a reprimand.

Marinette was stunned for a moment before she spoke again. "May I ask you something, master?"

"You may. What does our young guardian want to know?"

"You recognized Tomoe Tsurugi immediately. How?" 

"We do our best to keep detailed records of descendants of past Miraculous holders. It is not rare for descendants to possess many of the same traits their Miraculous ancestors held, making them viable hosts for the Miraculous. While we have only recently been able to resume our duties, we have taken to continuing on cataloguing at least the ladybug and black cat wielder's descendants."

"So Kagami Tsurugi could have been a good Ladybug?" Marinette couldn't help breaking posture as she blushed and looked down at her feet. Though the Miraculous could be a burden at times, it had become a part of her. She didn't like the idea of anyone else wielding it.

“It is true that Kagami Tsurugi would have been a good host. Perhaps if this temple was functioning and Kagami was in Paris when Hawkmoth appeared, we would have selected her. However, Master Fu knew exactly what he was doing when he made you Ladybug. It is your heart that makes you Ladybug. Do not let anyone make you feel inferior for that.”

“Thank you, master."

“Of course,” she smiled at her. It may have been one of the first times Marinette had seen a warm expression on any of the monks at the temple and she would cherish it. “Now, I believe you have training to return to.”

\------------

It was late when Marinette got back that night. She had several missed messages from Alya that she tried to quickly respond to. She hoped that Chat Noir didn’t need her because she didn’t know if she could bring herself to go out. She had heightened stamina as Ladybug, but it was still an effort.

Marinette shut her phone off. She’d have to spend time with Alya this weekend. It was too soon that her alarm clock ringed and she had to be at school. Training to be a guardian and being a teenager was impossible.

\-------------

“Hey, Marinette,” Adrien said to Marinette as she walked into the classroom. It had been a lonely patrol last night without Ladybug, though he knew that sometimes her guardian training ran late. Yet, it always cheered up him up to see his good friend Marinette.

“Hey,” she said weakly, moving to sit behind him.

Adrien furrowed his eyebrows. Marinette was usually so cheerful, even when she was running late. Today, she seemed exhausted. He was about to turn around and ask her how she was when the sound of the door opening pulled his attention towards that.

“Kagami?” Adrien gaped. He had never thought her mother would let her come to school like this.

“Class,” Ms. Bustier began. “I would like to introduce you to the newest addition to our class. Meet Kagami Tsurugi.”

Kagami waved at the class. She met eye contact with Adrien and smiled, giving him a small nod. He turned to watch Kagami and noticed Marientte’s small wave, which Kagami returned. He was glad that Marinette was getting along with Kagami. Marientte was sweet and kind and Kagami could use the friends.

Turning back around, he caught Chloe glaring at Kagami. He rolled his eyes. Chloe was like a sister to him, but he didn’t know what to make of her these days. She had betrayed them all because she wanted to be a superhero? That wasn’t fair. Still, he couldn’t just give up.

At lunch, Adrien watched as a drained Marinette left with Alya. He wanted to go after her and ask if she was okay, but it was Kagami’s first day at school and he had to be by her side in that.

“Hey,” he said, catching Kagami in the hallway as she left their classroom.

“Hello,” Kagami said. She gave him one of her small smiles. It was only recently that they had declared their intentions of being boyfrend and girlfriend (Nino rolled his eyes when Adrien mentioned "declaring intentions" but he didn't care). Kagami really was beautiful and brave and it was nice to be with someone who cared about him. He had been in love with Ladybug for so long and it had been painful. This wasn’t.

Still, it was a surprise to see her as he led them to stand beside the lockers lining wall. “I didn’t know you were coming to school.”

“I was hoping to surprise you.”

“I’m surprised your mother let you come to school,” he said.

“It took a lot of convincing. I ended up saying that socializing with other people would help me better understand the weaknesses people have to be utilized in fencing,” she said. Kagami was always straight to the point. She was a little like Marinette in that sense, when Marientte wasn’t stuttering. The thought made him smile. Wait, why was he thinking of Marinette?

“I’m glad you’re here. You’re going to love it. We can sit with my friends at lunch,” he led Kagami over to where Nino, Marinette, and Alya were sitting.

“You know, Marinette, Alya, and Nino,” Adrien gestured to the three of them as he and Kagami sat down. Though it had been a few weeks since the Miracle Queen incident, it still amazed him that two of his best friends were superheroes. Rena Rogue and Carapce had been underneath his nose this whole time and he hadn't known it. He would have loved to talk with them about being a superhero, but he wasn't willing to risk his identity like that. And he knew that Ladybug was unwilling to give out the Miraculouses again and risk putting them in danger. After all, she had made that clear when Marinette had outed herself as Multimouse.

“It’s good to see you again, Marinette,” Kagami said.

“You too,” Marinette said. As she said it, she yawned.

“Are you alright?” Adrien asked. “You seem exhausted.”

“Yep. Just a little tired. That’s all,” Marinette said, yawning again.

Adrien’s face softened. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “You should be careful not do over do yourself. You need your rest.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Marinette smiled, using a hand to wave him off. He smiled. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Kagami staring at him. He coughed and let his hand drop.

“Nino and I were just trying to convince Marinette to ditch the bakery this weekend and come hang out with us in the park this weekend. You two are welcome to join,” Alya offered.

“Thanks. We’d love to come, if we can convince our parents to let us,” Adrien said.

They sat for a little longer before Adrien stood up and offered to introduce Kagami to more of their classmates.

When he was gone, Alya leaned over to Marinette. “You could invite Luka.”

“What, why?” Marientte asked.

“Well, it’s obvious he still has feelings for you and now that Adrien is with Kagami,” Alya let that hang in thin air.

“I told Luka I only wanted to be friends and am sticking with that. He was sweet, but it’s too complicated. And I’m happy for Adrien and Kagami. Really. I’m over Adrien. He didn’t love me back and, it’s just not worth it.” That was all true. Marinette had gone on a few dates with Luka. It had been really nice and she had felt herself moving on and was happy to imagine the possibilities of a guy other than Adrien. However, ultimately, she had decided that patient, kind Luka didn’t deserve to be in a relationship where he would be constantly lied to so she had broken things off.

Alya narrowed her eys at Marinette. “If you say so.”

Alya turned to Nino and they began to plan for their date Friday night. If she was being honest, she was a little jealous her friends and boyfriends and girlfriends, but she had tried dating Luka and it hadn’t worked. She had thought maybe at one point she liked Chat as Marinette, but he had stopped visiting her these past few weeks. She had to admit, the thought made her sad. And Adrien… that ship sailed a long time ago.

“Psst, Marinette,” a voice whispered, pulling her out of her thoughts. She made eye contact with Chloe who was hiding behind the stairs and gesturing with her hand for Marinette to come over.

Marinette walked over, unsure what Chloe could want. Things haven’t been great with Chloe recently. She had just about gone through her last straw. Not caring and being cruel towards people at school was one thing, but she had sided with Hawkmoth and Marinette couldn’t get over that.

“What do you want, Chloe?” Marinette asked. Chloe was usually flanked by Sabrina, but now even that girl had decided to make friends elsewhere, feeling betrayed by her best friend.

“I was hoping to help you break up Kagami and Adiren,” Chloe said.

“What? Why would I do that? Adrien and Kagami are perfect for each other.” She couldn’t stop herself from internally cringing. Maybe she wasn’t completely over him. At least she could form coherent sentences now.

“I just thought you liked Adrien and you’d want to be with him.”

“And then what? Once I’m with Adrien you figure that I’ll be easier to pull Adrien away from than Kagami?”

“No, I- I don’t- I’m trying to help you.” Chloe looked down. “I don’t want you to hate me forever.”

“It might be a little late for that Chloe,” Marinette said, walking away.

\-----------

Both Kagami and Adrien had told their parents that fencing practice was running late today. Adrien offered to drive Kagami home. Shockingly, Tomoe hadn’t been entirely opposed to Adrien dating Kagami and that made it easier for them to sneak out when they needed a break. They decided to walk along the Seine with their extra time.

Kagami reached between them to hold his hand. Adrien was hesitant at first, but then gripped back.

“You touch her, but not me,” Kagami said.

“What?”

“You touched Marinette on the shoulder today at school, but when I try to hold your hand, you pull back. Why is that Adrien?”

“I- I don’t know,” he said. “Marinette is my friend. I’m just comfortable around her.”

Kagami stopped and faced him. “Are you saying you’re not comfortable around me?”

“No- no, that’s not it at all. It’s just- it’s different with you.”

“I’m your girlfriend, Adrien. We are perfect for each other. You want to be with me, right?”

“Of course, I do! Why would you ask that?”

“Because sometimes it seems like you have more feelings for Marinette.”

“Marinette is just a friend. I promise.”

“Okay.” They resumed walking. “She is a sweet girl. I’m glad to be friends with her.”

“Me too,” Adrien whispered, under his breath as they walked.

\-----------

Tomoe Tsurugi rose from her car and approached the gates of the Agreste mansion. It was highly unorthodox, but she needed to meet with Gabriel Agreste in person.

She pressed the bell on the gate. She recognized the voice of Gabriel’s assistant. “Who is it?”

“Tomoe Tsurugi. I believe Mr. Agreste will want to hear what you have to say.”

“Mr. Agreste is very busy. I can set up a video chat soon.”

“No, Gabriel Agreste is going to hear what I have to say in person. It concerns a certain supervillain. Hawkmoth.”

There was silence as Nathalie thought for a moment. Then there was the creak of gates opening. “You may come in.”

Tomoe walked up the steps to the front door. She heard the door open. “Right this way, Tsurugi-san,” she heard Nathalie say. “You can wait in the sitting room. He’ll join you in one moment.”

Tomoe tapped around with her cane until she found the sofa in the unfamiliar room. She sat down, posture perfect as years of instruction in her childhood dictated. Gabriel Agreste would most definitely want to hear what _she_ had to say.

She heard the clip of shoes, followed by the crunch of fabric and knew that Gabriel was now seated in front of her. Another clip of shoes and she knew that Nathalie was standing by their seats. "Tsurugi-San," Gabriel began, his voice the rich tone she remembered. "To what do I owe this visit?"

“I have come today to discuss our professional relationship going forward, Gabriel.” She cocked her head to the side, "Or do you prefer the name 'Hawkmoth?'”

There was a moment of silence. “I am afraid that I do not know what you are talking about.” Gabriel's voice would have seemed calm to anyone else, but Tomoe's trained ear was able to big up the slight tremors brought forth by nerves. 

“I believe you do,” she said. She smiled, but it was not one of joy. Instead, it looked like the type of smile a wolf would give its prey before it pounced. “When I was akumatized, I remembered your voice in the moments before you took control. Most people do not have strong recollections, but I am sure you have noticed that I am not most people.”

Not wanting to lose the upper-hand, Gabriel spoke. “You have no hard proof of that."

"I suppose you are right. Although, given my high-standings in society, people might just consider listening to me and hosting an investigation to which they would find hard evidence."

"So you believe that you have me trapped? What would you do with this information? I will not be blackmailed.”

“I do not intend to blackmail you. I came here today to offer my services." Hearing no protests from Gabriel or Nathalie, Tomoe continued. “You seek the Black Cat and Ladybug Miraculouses. It does not concern me what you intend to wish for; that is your own business."

“How do you know about the wish?" Gabriel's words were slow and measured, like he was treading across a minefield, not wishing to disrupt anything and get himself hurt in the process.

“I have my ways.” She waved a hand in the air. “All I ask for in return is that, once you have made your wish and paid your price, you give the Ladybug Miraculous to my daughter, Kagami. It is her birth right."

"And am I to assume that your own daughter will not hunt me down once I have given her the Ladybug Miraculous?"

"You have my word that she will not. Hawkmoth can disappear forever and you can live out the rest of your days without interference from superheroes.”

She could hear Nathalie and Gabriel whisper and then silence. She heard the shift in the couch that menat Gabriel had stood up. She felt a brush of air near her face. He was holding out his hand to her. She held hers out too and they shook. “Tsurugi-san, I believe we will make a great team.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like Lukanette (or Adrigami). Sorry for those who do.  
> Also, total thanks for reading. xx


	4. Class Projects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The class gets divided up to do a project on superheroes.

Marinette yawned for the third time this morning. “You need to get some more sleep, girl,” Alya teased. Marinette just grumbled at her friend.

Marinette watched as people slowly filtered into the classroom. Juleka and Rose walked in, hand in hand. Rose gave Juleka a quick kiss before dashing off to her seat. Chloe walked in with her head held high. Before people would’ve worshipped her. Now there were just murmurs. Adrien and Kagami came in next. Marinette smiled at the two of them, who in turn smiled at her. She pretended she didn't feel a pang in her heart.

Marinette took out her notebook and pen, expecting class to begin after everyone had appeared. However, there was another creak of the door. Marinette felt herself come out of her tired daze as all of her muscles clenched in anger. _Lila._

“Class, Lila, has returned from her one week trip to visit Prince Ali. She has promised that she will be staying in class for the rest of the year with us,” Ms. Bustier cooed.

The rest of the year! Before, Marinette could at least count on some unbelievable lie- unbelievable only to her that was- to pull her out of the class. But now? If she was intent on staying that meant every day was going to be a living hell. Her only consolation was her slowly fading crush with Adrien would make her less of a target. Kagami on the other hand… Marientte would have to warn Kagami, or at least get Adrien to. He didn't know the extent of Lila's problem, but he did know that she was a liar.

Marientte watched as Lila took her seat in the back, right next to Kagami. _Great._

“Now,” Ms. Bustier said, turning the class’s attention back to her. “For the remainder of the term, we will be dividing our time with projects. I will divide you into pairs. I will give you some class time to work on it near the end of the term, but I am trusting you all to set aside time to work on it outside of school. The projects will be looking at Paris’s superheroes and what makes them heroes. You can choose any superhero of Paris and talk about what makes them a hero, focusing on more than just that they defeat the villains. I assigned partners randomly. I trust there won’t be any issues.” Ms. Bustier began reading out the list of names. Marienette strained to hear the ones that mattered to her the most. “Chloe and Lila.” Marientte winced. Did Ms. Bustier know what she was doing, putting those two together? “Alya and Kagami.” Both girls were strong-willed, but Marinette knew they would make it work. “Nino and Max.” They’d work well together. “Marinette and Adrien.”

Marinette’s eyes widened. She felt Alya nudge her with her elbow. “Over him, huh?” she teased.

Adrien turned to her and smile. Marientte gave a tight smile back, slouching when he turned back around. Of course, Marinette would be fine working with Adrien. She’d get out coherent sentences and prove that she was over him and that she was happy that he was happy with Kagami.

“I’ll give you time now to discuss arrangements with your partners. Tomorrow we’ll move on for a while,” Ms. Bustier finished.

Nino nodded to Marinette and got up to go sit with Max. Marinette took over Nino’s seat beside Adrien.

“Hey, Marinette,” Adrien said.

“Hello, Adrien,” she said, maybe a little too stiffly. Still, one coherent sentence down. Only many more to go. She looked down at her notebook where she was doodling small ladybugs. She hoped that focusing on something else would help. “I was thinking, considering your dad doesn’t like you having people over, we could meet at my house? There will be plenty of baked goods.”

“That sounds great,” Adrien said, enthusiastically. Marinette looked up quickly beaming when she saw the way he was smiling at her. But it was only a friend smiling at a friend. That was okay. She would be okay.

She looked to the front of the class, hoping the faint blush she felt on her cheeks wasn't noticeable. “Awesome. Do you want to get together sometime this week? We have a month to work on it, but it wouldn’t hurt to get a head start.”

“This week sounds great. I should be able to get away Tuesday and Thursday.”

“That sounds perfect. Now, about the superhero…” There were so many to choose from.

“Chat Noir or Ladybug would be good choices,” Adrien supplied. It was only natural he would think of those two. And yet, it seemed wrong for Marinette to do a project on herself or her partner. 

“What about the Owl?” she suggested. That would be a safe bet.

There was a pause before Adrien spoke. “The Owl?”

Marinette looked over expecting to see Adrien looking shocked or disgusting. Instead he seemed to be smiling, almost as though he knew soemthing she didn't. SHe brushed it off. “He is a superhero of Paris afterall,” Marinette said. “And he has shown some real hero work after he was akumatized." 

"I love it. Of course our everyday Ladybug would choose an everyday superhero," Adrien said. 

Marinette tried not to blush. She really did. 

\---------

While Marinette sat where Nino had sat, Kagami went to sit with Alya. Alya didn't know Kagami that well, but she knew that Marinette tried to be friends with her and that was good enough for her.

“So, I hear from Marinette that your mom doesn’t let you go out much. How will we make this work?” Alya asked. She was a journalist; there was no point beating around the bush.

“I can lie and we can work at your house sometime. And if need be, we can take some time at lunch.” Kagami offered.

“Okay,” Alya nodded, jotting a few notes in her notebook. “Do you have preference on a superhero?”

When Kagami didn't speak again, Alya lifted her eyes to the Asian girl's. She was surprised to see something that resembled anxiety there. From what Marinette had told her, Kagami didn't get anxious. “Can we talk about that later? I need to ask you something?”

“Anything,” Alya managed. She may not have known Kagami well, but she didn't want the girl to be in pain. 

Kagami nodded her head to the desks in front of him where Adrien and Marinette were smiling. “Will Marinette and Adrien be a problem?”

Alya sighed. Marinette had told her that Kagami and Adrien had started seeing each other, right around the same time she had told Alya she was trying to get over Adrien. “Marinette claims she’s getting over Adrien, but I don’t know. But I do know that she cares about your friendship and is very happy that you and Adrien are together and happy and would never get in the way.”

Kagami looked down at her hands that were placed neatly in her lap. “Together, yes, but I don’t know if ‘happy’ is it.”

“Don’t tell Marinette that,” Alya teased. Kagami's head shot up to glare at the journalist. “Kidding. Seriously, it’s a new relationship. I’m sure things will work themselves out. As long as you both want them to.”

Kagami sighed. “I certainly do, but I don’t know about him. It seems like we should be perfect together and he does like me, but I don’t know if it's the same way that I like him."/p>

Alya shurgged. “Listen, I don’t know you very well, but I know that both Adrien and Marinette speak highly of you. Adrien may come around, but you also need to think about what you want.”

“Thank you,” Kagami nodded. “Now about the superhero… what if we do a less famous one like Rena Rogue?”

“The tricky fox?” Alya waggled an eyebrow. “Now you’re speaking my language.”

The two girls laughed together

\---------

Chloe glared at Lila while Lila just smiled sweetly. “We can do it at my house,” Chloe said.

“Really, that is so sweet of you!” Lila said, her voice laced with syrupy sweetness that made Chloe sick.

“Yeah. Yeah,” Chloe said. “Now what superhero?”

“I was thinking Queen Bee,” Lila said.

“Oh, give it up,” Chloe said, her eyes rolling. “We can do Chat Noir or someone. Just please stop pretending to like me.”

“Fine,” Lila said, her smile dissolving.

\--------

Ladybug slouched on the rooftop overlooking the lit up Paris. She knew she needed to go home soon and get sleep, but up here she could pretend all of her problems didn't exist. It seemed like the warm reassurance the monk had given her the other day after Tomoe Tsurugi's arrival had never happened as Ladybug was pushed to her limits after starting training distracted by the though of a Lila and Chloe partnership. It seemed as though it was getting harder to separate her social and school life from her guardian training and the guardians were not happy about that. 

Ladybug had thought that she would have the luxury of being able to go right to bed when she got home. However, with impeccable timing as always, as soon as she reached her bedroom again, she had heard the tell tale akuma alert. It had been an easy enough akuma and Chat and Ladybug hadn't even needed to use their powers, but it was an akuma nonetheless. Seriously, people just needed to get that baby lollipops and Paris would have a lot less problems.

“You seem more tired today. How is guardian training going?” Chat asked her. Ladybug appreciated that despite everything, he continued to ask about her training. She had been hesitant to tell him about it at first, not wanting to give anything away about her personal life with Hawkmoth at large, but had ultimately let it slip once on a patrol and hadn't regretted it since. She needed to talk to someone about it and, even if he wasn't actually going to the temple every week, he was the only one who could begin to understand.

“It’s difficult. It’s a lot of hard work. And I keep having to turn down getting together with my friends. But it’s for the good of the world, right? And Master Fu believed in me.” She sighed.

“I’m sure if you explained that you still have a life, they’d understand,” Chat said, gently. She smiled at his gentleness. She definitely didn’t hate this gentle side of Chat.

“A bunch of 300-year-old monks who spent the last century in the stomach of a sentimonster? As if,” she waved him off, laughing weakly.

Chat chuckled with her for a moment. "Purr-haps it's a bigger undertaking than I imagined." He grew serious again. “Still, you need to relax, Ladybug. I can’t have my partner falling asleep while we’re in the middle of a fight, now can I?” he said.

“I'll try." Ladybug sighed. "How about you? How are you doing?” Ladybug still didn't want anymore personal information to get out, but she also wanted Chat to know that she could be here for him too.

Chat shrugged. “I’m doing fine.”

“Okay. Just know that I’m here for you if you need to talk.”

“Well… there might be some drama in my personal life. But I need to figure it out on my own first.”

Ladybug reached out to touch his hand, but he shrank back from her touch. Her eyebrows furrowed, but she decided not to push it. Yet, she couldn’t help, but add it to the list of all the times he had been more distant with her lately. She didn’t know why and she missed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please feel free to leave kudos or comments (likes, dislikes, general comments)! Constructive criticism is always appreciated (I do this to practice, improve, and define my writing style and would love to hear what works and what doesn't)!


	5. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relationships evolve. Marinette deals with the effects of guardian training. Gabriel and Mayura plot.

Lila glared at Marinette, who seemed to be having a very amicable conversation with Adrien. She had been so close to getting rid of the girl and thus getting Adrien all to herself, but then Adrien had seen through her. Sure, Lila was working with Gabriel, but that was the long game. She wanted Adrien now. But luck was on her side and it seemed that her newest weapon was sitting beside her.

“So, Kagami, how are you today?” Lila said to the girl seated beside her, putting on her best sing-song voice.

“Fine," Kagami said, dryly. "And you?"

"Oh, I'm great!" Lila chirped. "You know, I actually just got off a phone call with the princess of Japan before I got here. Did you know her when you lived in Japan?"

"No, but I doubt you know her either," Kagami's voice didn't waver as she spoke. "Adrien told me about you Lila."

“Oh? Adrien and I had a bit of a misunderstanding, that’s all.” Sure, all she wanted to do was scream, but Lila kept her sweet façade. She wasn’t going to miss her opportunity.

“He said that you tried to get Marinette expelled. I don’t think that’s a misunderstanding,” Kagami replied.

“Oh, yes, well that was just Marinette.”

“Just Marinette?" Kagami spat. "Marinette is a very sweet girl who I happen to be friends with.”

"A very cute girl who is laughing with your boyfriend.” Lila smirked as she watched Kagami’s eyes wander to Adrien and Marientte laughing at the front of the room.

“Marinette and Adrien are just friends. I know that Adrien cares for me,” Kagami retorted. The tone she used was the same as before, but her eyes had betrayed her.

“Sure he cares for you, but does he love you?” Lila leaned closer. Despite her smile, Kagami could hear the bite in her words. Kagami stiffened.

Before Kagami could reply, the lesson was beginning. As irrational as it was, Kagami felt her eyes drifting to Marientte and Adrien all throughout the lesson.

\--------

“Psst,” a voice in the courtyard, very loudly, whispered. Adrien turned from Nino and Kim for a moment to look for the source of the sound. He then saw Chloe, hiding behind the stairs, gesturing for him to come closer. Adrien looked around and walked towards her.

He would be lying if he said that Chloe hadn’t been grating on his nerves the past few years. She had been obsessive about her crush and when he finally thought she was turning around, she betrayed Ladybug and all of Paris. Yet, when he looked at her, he still saw the young girl his mom introduced him to who was so desperate to make friends. And he couldn’t give up on her.

“What’s up, Chloe?” Adrien asked, ducking behind the stairs beside her.

“I need your help,” Chloe said. “I want people to like me again."

“You’ve done some really bad things, Chlo. There’s a reason people aren’t too happy with you now,” Adrien said.

Chloe groaned in frustration. “I know, but I want to fix that.”

“Have you tried offering compliments to people? Offering help?” Adrien suggested.

“I tried to help Marinette,” Chloe suggested

“And how did that work?”

“Not well. She rejected my offer.” Chloe looked down. Adrien couldn't be certain, but he could almost make out a faint blush on her cheeks

“Well, what was your offer?”

“Not important,” Chloe muttered. Yep, Chloe was definitely blushing.

“It might take a while to get people to like you. You have to be patient,” he said.

“Patient? Me? Utterly ridiculous!” Chloe yelled. She blushed when Adrien raised an eyebrow. “Okay. I see your point.”

“Listen, if I ever see an opportunity to help you out, I’ll let you know, but right now, just try to be a little more sympathetic,” he said.

“I’ll try.” Adrien was about to turn to leave, when Chloe grabbed his hand. He turned back to look at her. “Are we friends?”

Adrien looked taken aback. “Of course. Why would you ask that?”

“I haven’t been all that great recently, with crushing on you and everything,” she said, sheepishly.

“Are you actually admitting to doing something wrong?” Adrien feigned surprise. Chloe shoved him and he laughed.

“Shut up!” she yelled, but she was laughing to.

“Chloe, I’ve known you forever. I can’t say that you didn’t irritate the heck out of me with your crush, but I do care about you. You’re like a sister to me,” he said.

“Thanks, Adrikins,” Chloe said.

“Anytime.”

\----------

Adrien was ecstatic. It seemed that he had waited his whole week- suffered through lonely patrols and tiresome akumas- for this afternoon. His father had granted him permission to see Marinette. Of course, it was only to study and it had taken given Nathalie the assignment sheet which detailed how many hours had to be spent outside of class. But still. He was going to see his good friend and that was enough to puta spring in his step.

“Are you going to spend more time with your girlfriend?” Plagg asked, floating beside Adrien as Adrien packed up his bag.

“No, I’m going to Marinette’s house to work on our project. You know that.”

“Like I said, your girlfriend.”

“Kagami is my girlfriend.”

“And you love her?” Plagg goaded. Adrien blanched. In the weeks since they had started dating, Kagami alluded to the fact that she loved him, but he had been hesitant to say the words back.

“Well, no but-”

“Are you just trying to get over Ladybug?”

“What? No! I care about Kagami. Ladybug is- I don’t like her like that anymore and she’s made it very clear that she doesn’t like me.” Adrien loved being Chat Noir, but still often became exasperated with the cheese-loving, god of destruction he was stuck with.

“But you love Marinette?”

“No! Why does everyone think I’m in love with Marinette?” Adrien asked. First, Kagami had been jealous of Marinette. Now, this!

“Well, you’ve been spending a lot of time with her recently…”

“I’ve been working on a school project!”

“And you get the same look on your face that you used to get when you looked at Ladybug.”

“I do not! Listen, Kagami is my girlfriend, Marinette is my friend, and I was planning to tell Ladybug about Kagami tonight. Are you happy?”

“No,” Plagg said. “We’re running low on camembert.”

Adrien groaned into his hands.

\--------

Marinette was bent over her sewing machine, enjoying the one afternoon she had off from guardian training, when there was a knock on her door.

“Adrien is here to work on your project,” Sabine called up.

“Thanks, Maman. You can send him up,” Marinette called. She wanted to finish the sleeve and then she would take a break.

She was so engrossed in her work and the whir of the sewing machine, that she didn’t hear the door open. She finished the dress and turned to hold it up. As she turned in her chair she came face to face with a smiling Adrien Agreste.

“Bah!” she said, falling backwards. Both she and the chair crashed on the floor.

Adrien’s smile melted to worry. “Are you okay?” he asked, rushing over to Marinette, placing a plate of pastries he had brough up on her desk. He offered a hand to help her get up. “Your mom said I could come up and I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s fine. You know me, clumsy Marinette,” she said, laughing nervously.

“I’m glad you’re not hurt. What were you working on?” Adrien asked, moving to the sewing table.

“A dress, just for fun,” Marinette said. She held the half finished project up to Adrien.

“That’s amazing,” he marveled. He ran his fingers along the material.

“It’s really nothing,” she said.

“No, it’s not. It’s beautiful.” The way he smiled at her made Marinette blush. She turned away.

“Well, I’m sure you’ve spent years around incredible fashions. You’ve probably even designed some incredible things of your own.”

“Not really. I’ve been to my dad’s studio a few times so I’ve seen what the desisgners create. It’s amazing and I like seeing what others create, but I’ve never been one to create myself.”

“Really? But your dad is Gabriel Agreste.” Marinette couldn’t help, but laugh.

“I know. I’m an anomaly. My dad tried to get me into art when I was younger, but it never really clicked. I prefer science and math and fencing. And then I’ve never really been good at sewing, not like you.”

Marinette laughed at that. “I wasn’t born like this. It took years of practice and some really horrible failures. But I like it so I’ve kept at it. If you wanted to, I bet I could even teach you.”

“I might take you up on that sometime,” Adrien laughed with her. It wasn’t funny, but her gorgeous laugh was enthralling. Adrien thought back to what Plagg had said before about him and Marinette and cleared his throat. “So, the project?”

“Oh, yes!” Marinette ran over to the chaise and held up to owl masks.

Adrien’s eyes- and smile- widened as he took one of the masks from her. “You made these!”

“Yep! I thought we might as well have some fun with the presentation.”

“These are great!” Adrien exclaimed. Marinette beamed at the praise.

“They’re nothing really. I just really want this project to be a success.”

“With you, I have no doubt it will be,” Adrien said. Marinette blushed and reminded herself that they were just friends.

Marinette shut her sewing machine off and grabbed her notebook, walking over towards Adrien, before gesturing for the both of them to sit on the floor. Adrien set the pastry plate down gently- like they were on valuable China rather than a plastic plate- before sitting down himself.

“Okay, so what makes the Owl a hero?” Marinette asked, tapping a pencil against her notebook. They still had several weeks until the project was due and wanted to get a head start. When Adrien didn't respond, Marinette looked up only to find her once-dreamy-crush with a croissant stuffed in his face. Marinette couldn't help but giggle.

Adrien blushed, but quickly swallowed. "Sorry, your parents' baking is really good. I can't help it."

Marinette waved a hand in the air, brushing off his complaint. "You don't need to apologize. I hope I didn't make you feel embarrassed."

"You didn't really. I'm just not used to joking with friends." There was a beat of silence as the two teenagers processed that. "So, the Owl?" Adrien finally asked, breaking the silence.

“Well for one, he shows that you don’t need to be a superhero to do good in the community. He shows that even the little things a person can do can make a difference and make Paris a more positive place.”

“Yeah. I think that it would be easy for people to assume that because there are literal superheroes in the city, that they don't need to do their part. But the Owl inspires normal people to help too and highlights the heroics of the normal police and fire departments. I'm sure that Ladybug and Chat Noir find it very helpf-owl."

Marinette blinked at him. "Did you just pun?"

"I- yeah- was it that bad?" Adrien blushed.

"No, actually," Marinette murmured. It just had reminded her of someone else, was the response she couldn't voice. Someone who had seemed so aloof last night, probably upset at the way she had ditched him on patrol a few nights before.

The two teenagers discussed their project a little more, before deciding to call it quits for the day.

“Do you have to go home right away?” Marinette asked as he was packing up.

“I- no. Why?”

“We haven’t really hung out just the two of us in a while. It might be nice just to talk. Or play video games.”

Adrien smiled. Marinette was so kind and sweet. All he wanted was to be her friend. “I’d love that.”

They settled in chairs in front of Marinette’s computer and played Mecha Strike. After getting beaten by Marinette for the third time, Adrien suggested they just talk, which only subjected him to lots of teasing from Marinette. However, she did settle beside him, cross-legged on the floor, eventually.

“So, Chat Noir or Ladybug?” Marinette asked. She was a little nervous about the prospect of just talking, but figured that talking about Paris’s favorite superheroes could never be a problem.

“Ladybug,” Adrien said.

“Why?” Marinette asked. “And you cannot say it’s because she’s pretty.” Was that actually Marinette Dupain-Cheng teasing Adrien Agreste? What had happened to the girl?

“No, it’s more than that. She just radiates strength- I guess. I don’t know. Like you always know she’s gonna be there protecting and looking out for you.”

“I see.” Marinette smiled at her.

“What about you?” Adrien asked, picking up another pastry.

“Chat Noir,” Marinette said, sitting back on her hands.

“Really?” Adrien laughed.

“What?” Marinette asked, laughing with him, but still defensive.

“I just figured the creative designer would favor someone with the power of creation rather than destruction.”

“I mean, sure Chat Noir’s powers are that of destruction, but he cares about the people. He talks with victims after fights to make sure they’re okay. He doesn’t need to, but he does. He’s very kind and considerate like that, despite his incessant flirting.” Marinette looked up to find Adrien staring at her. “Um- Adrien? Is everything okay?”

Adrien cleared his throat. “Yeah- uh. I just didn’t realize you were such a big Chat Noir fan.”

Marinette shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess I just pay attention.” She paused. “I hear that Lila and Chloe are working together on the project. That won’t be good.”

Adrien frowned. “I feel bad for Chloe.”

“Why?” Marinette couldn't help the curiosity in her voice. She knew they had been childhood friends, but with everything Chloe had done lately... Marinette wanted to know the reasoning behind why anyone would still feel sympathy for her.

“She’s my oldest friend. She can be annoying and selfish, but I don’t want her to suffer. I’m not willing to give up on her-,” Adrien caught her looking at him strangely. “What?” Adrien asked, suddenly self-conscious under her gaze.

“Nothing,” Marinette said, shaking her head. “It just amazes me how you don’t stop believing in the good in people.”

“You don’t either,” Adrien offered.

“Please,” Marinette waved him off. “My temper? No way.”

Adrien opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but right then Marinette brought her hands up to her head as the world spinned. "Marinette!" Adrien exclaimed.

"Sorry, I'm just tired." Marinette looked up at Adrien, who looked like he had seen a ghost. "Whoa. Adrien, I promise I'm okay."

Adrien sat back down, a hand moving to rub the back of his neck. A faint blush had appeared on his cheeks. "Sorry, my mom used to get dizzy spells before she died. I guess I got nervous."

"I'm so sorry about your mom, but I promise that I'm fine. Just tired. We can keep talking."

Adrien sighed. "I'd love to, but I need to go anyway. I have piano lessons tonight. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. We still have a lot of work to do with the project so I doubt this is the last time we'll see each other," Marinette smiled.

“Of course. I’m glad you’re my partner for this. But perhaps we’ll see each other sooner? Like at the class picnic on Saturday?” Adrien asked.

Marinette blanched. “I- I hadn’t thought of it.” That was true, she had totally forgotten about it with her training schedule.

“You should. Everyone will be there. Alya, Nino, me, Kagami, everyone.”

“I know. And I want to, it’s just that, the bakery.”

“Wouldn’t your parents understand? Alya said that you’ve been working a lot lately.”

“You’ve been talking to Alya about me?!?” Maybe Marinette shouldn’t have felt offended, but she did.

“Well, no, but I’ve been talking to Nino who his Alya’s boyfriend.” Adrien’s face softened. “She misses you.”

“I miss her too,” Marinette said, hugging her arms around herself. It was easier when all she had to worry about was nightly patrols. Sure, there was the occasional akuma that she had to make excuses for, but it wasn’t like this. Master Fu had chosen her. She couldn’t let him down.

“Please, at least consider it. We’d all love to see you,” Adrien said. “Goodbye, Marinette.”

“Goodbye, Adrien.”

Tikki flew out of her hiding spot in Marinette’s pillows after he had gone. “What are you going to do, Marinette? You have guardian training. You know that.”

“I know that Tikki. But he’s right. Alya misses me and I miss her. I know I’ve had my reasons, but she doesn’t know them and she can’t know them. It’s not fair to her.”

“No one said this was going to be easy.”

“I know. It’s just so much harder than I thought it would be.”

Tikki paused. Then sighed. “Maybe you can go late to guardian training?”

“I thought that you’d be on the side of doing the right thing.”

“It’s not always that simple. A lot of my users have been teenagers just like you. You need to train, but you also need your friends. And you didn’t exactly choose this path. When Master Fu chose you, he thought he would have more time to train you at a slower pace.”

“You’re the best, Tikki!”

\--------

Gabriel pulled up to the park and rolled the window down. The girl, Lila, was sitting on the park bench as usual.

“I have something to discuss with you,” Gabriel said.

“I’m working on getting Adrien to break up with the girl and get away from that bad influence, Marinette,” Lila said.

“That is exactly what I wanted to speak to you about.”

“Oh?”

“It seems that, despite you claiming to be working on it, my son and that Marinette girl are spending more time together.” His voice was calm and collected in a way that sent shivers up Lila’s spine.

“That’s because of a school project. I-” Lila couldn’t hide the panic in her voice

"And now I hear he wants to go to a picnic in the park with his friends. You have failed at your job. I am sorry, but I have no time for failures. I’m sorry, but we will not be working together again.” Gabriel rolled up the window and the car sped away, leaving Lila on a park bench shocked.

Without Gabriel, she wouldn’t have a way to get close to Adrien without him pushing her away. She was doomed. All because of Marinette.

\--------

Lila walked home, seething. How dare Gabriel Agreste fire her. She was a master of manipulation. He was her best shot at getting rid of Marinette and Kagami.

Lila was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice when she ran into someone. She looked up at the face and gasped. “Adrien.”

“Wrong,” the boy said. He could have been Adrien’s doppleganger. They had the same face, same green eyes. The only difference was their hair style, while Adrien’s blond curls could be wild at times, this boy had his gold hair slicked back. “Would you like to grab coffee, Lila Rossi?” not-Adrien asked her.

“I- I don’t even know you.” A million alarm bells went off inside Lila Rossi's head and yet she was intrigued by this man.

"But I know you. And I think we will be very great partners. You want to take down Marinette, right? And Ladybug and Chat Noir and everyone who ever stood in your way.”

Lila narrowed her eyes. “Yes.”

“Then, please, we have much to discuss.”

“Can I at least know your name?” Lila asked.

“Felix,” the boy said, flashing a wicked smile.

\------------

Later that night, Chat Noir and Ladybug sat on a rooftop overlooking Paris. It had been a quiet patrol, one the superheroine was grateful for. The monks at the temple were not going easier on her and she valued the time she got with Chat even more so. And then there was the picnic that Alya was having. It wasn’t just because Adrien was going- she was over him. She just missed seeing her friends outside of school.

Unable to stop herself, Ladybug moved to sit closer to Chat- to be closer to his warmth- but saw that he moved farther away.

“What’s up?” Ladybug asked.

“What do you mean?” he said, still keeping his distance.

“You’ve been distance these past few weeks and even more so tonight.” Ladybug had noticed that Chat had been pulling back, but hadn't wanted to say anything. He was her partner and she wondered if maybe he really was just letting her move on and figure out this guardian thing on her own. But they had been physically affectionate before when tehre were no romantic connotations so it couldn't really be that he was worried about forcing himself on her.

“I could say the same thing about you,” Chat retorted.

“I know and I feel guilty about it, but with you- you don’t pun with me anymore.”

“I do use puns,” he said. “Did you hear the one I made a few nights ago with the maple syrup villain? ‘It looks like a sticky situation.’”

Ladybug rolled her eyes. “Fine. You use puns on akumas. But you don’t use them with me. You don’t call me “milady” or “bugaboo”. What happened to flirty Chat Noir?”

“I thought you didn’t like me flirting with you. I thought you liked someone else.”

“I-” Ladybug was caught off guard by that.

“I have a girlfriend,” he said.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. It’s new and I just- I can’t flirt with other girls. It wouldn’t be fair to her.”

“I see.” They sat in silence for a moment. “I have to go,” Ladybug said, standing up.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“For what?”

“I don’t know.”

There was a beat of silence. Ladybug knew that she should stay and deal with this now, but a bigger part of her wanted to process the information in peace. Saying a quick goodbye, she whipped out her yo-yo and swung back home.

Marinette detransformed when she got back to her room. “He has a girlfriend, Tikk?” she asked her kwami who was on the pillow beside her, nibbling her cookie.

“It would seem so, Marinette.”

“Is she really that special that he’s not flirting with me? He still flirted with Rena Rogue and Ryuko when he was in love with me.”

“Well, you weren’t dating,” Tikki pointed out.

“Yes, but…” Marinette wasn’t sure where she was going with this.

"But you wish you were the only one he was flirting with?” Tikki offered.

“Yes!” Marinette jumped on the suggestion.

“And you’re jealous now because you want to be with Chat?”

“Yes! No, wait, that’s not…,” Marinette paused. He had lied about having a girlfriend once before and she had been happy for him. But now she hated the thought that he wasn’t there flirting with her. Could she want to be with him? “How did that happen, Tikki?”

“Well, you have been spending time with him as both Marinette and Ladybug. As Marinette, you’ve seen a different side of him. And even though you haven’t been talking as much as Ladybug and Chat Noir recently, he is always by our side and supportive. And he isn’t horrible to be around.”

“Shoot- I think I’m falling in love with Chat Noir. When did this happen?” Marinette groaned and flopped down on her bed, only to immediately shoot back up, eyes wide with terror. "Oh, kwamis, I even admitted that I missed his puns!" 

Tikki giggled. "Well Chat has been very thoughtful with towards you lately? Maybe seeing that different side of him is helping you appreciate all of him?"

"This cannot be happening. I'm the guardian. I can't be thinking about dating." Marinette fell back onto her pillow again, this time set on staying there. 

"You can't always control what you feel Marinette." The kwami shrugged. "But I have no doubt you'll figure things out."

"Thanks, Tikki," Marinette sighed. 

\----------

Mayura refused to make the same mistake twice. She hadn’t betted on the fact that Ladybug would have feelings for someone else and she hadn’t betted that Ladybug would find Chat Noir and her sentimonster so fast. So now, as Hawkmoth sent akumas and the heroes patrolled, Mayura followed them. She took notes on their relationship, on their ticks. And what she found was perfect.

It seemed that their little Ladybug was falling in love with Chat. And Chat wasn’t in love with her. She had thought that the best way to get a Miraculous was with the distraction of love. But despair could be just as powerful.

Mayura raced off to the Agreste mansion. She couldn’t wait to tell Gabriel the news. Victory would be theirs at last.

\---------

The following morning in school, Marinette told Alya that she’d go to the class picnic that weekend. The happy shrieks that Alya gave, were more than enough to make up for whatever anger the guardians would give her.

\---------

Gabriel called Tomoe Tsurugi to the Agreste Mansion that afternoon, while their children were at their fencing practices.

Tomoe was shown into the sitting room once again, and sat across from Gabriel and his assistant, Nathalie.

“Welcome back, Tsurugi-san,” Gabriel said, his voice as calm and cool as always.

“It is my pleasure,” she said. “You have found a way for my daughter to get the miraculous.”

“I have. Nathalie here has a plan to get Ladybug to give up her and Chat Noir’s Miraculouses. Once I have used them, I will bring the ladybug miraculous to you and Kagami personally.”

“And if your plan fails?” Tomoe raised an eyebrow at Gabriel.

“My plan will not fail.” His voice turned choppy and Tomoe could tell he was speaking through gritted teeth.

"Your plans have failed in the past. Ladybug always manages to thwart you.”

“Not this time. This time Ladybug will be on our side.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't Mayura just follow Chat and Ladybug to their respective homes and learn their civilian identities and target them that way? Of course. Would that be easier? Yes. But they're villains so they have to have SOME dramatic flair.


	6. Class Picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette goes to the class picnic. Adrien struggles with his relationship with Kagami. Ladybug mourns the pieces of her life she is missing out on.

Felix sat across from Lila and spoke in a hushed voice. Most people in the coffee shop were minding their own business, but it couldn’t hurt. Especially when he looked like a certain famous model. There was only so much a fake pair of glasses and a hat could do. “It is my understanding that you have had run ins with the famous Chat Noir and Ladybugs?”

“Yes,” Lila said.

“It is also my understandings that you were briefly working with one Gabriel Agreste.”

“I was. But he decided that he didn’t need me.” Lila crossed her arms and scowled.

“I _know_ I need you, Lila. Tell me what you know, help me capture Chat Noir and Ladybug, and you will have everything you want.”

“I want Adrien Agreste,” Lila said.

“I can make that possible. I can make you a hero in his eyes,” Felix turned to face her. “Do we have a deal?”

Lila narrowed her eyes. “Why do you want to capture Chat Noir and Ladybug?”

Felix paused. “I am like you. I can see them for what they truly are. They claim to want to protect the city, but then spurn the inhabitants of it. Hawkmoth is the one who can truly grant freedom to the citizens. By capturing Chat Noir and Ladybug, I can help his cause.”

“I see,” Lila said. She narrowed her eyes at him, contemplating his words. After a moment she straightened back up and shrugged. “I’ll help you.” He could tell she didn’t believe him, but that’s what he liked about Lila Rossi. She was ruthless and would do anything to reach her goals. He would fill her in more fully later, but this was enough for now.

They shook hands and Felix stood to leave.

He walked around Paris for a bit, marveling at the city that would soon be claimed by him and his brethren. He leaned on a bridge. A pigeon flew up to rest on the balcony.

“You see,” he said speaking the words he couldn’t say to Lila Rossi to himself. “There is a pair of very special rings in this world. When worn by a single person it can protect the person against death by magic and natural causes. When worn by dual forces those rings can open rifts in time and space. Most dual forces can only hold the rifts open for a few seconds, minutes at most. Long enough for trace bits of magic to slip into the world, like myself, but not for anything big. But the ladybug and cat Miraculouses are the ultimate dual powers: destruction and creation. The magic within them and the opposing forces would be enough to keep a rift open forever. My brethren, trapped in the other dimension for as long as the Miraculous gods had existed would be free to reign over this world again. I will get Chat Noir and Ladybug to bend to my will and the city will be mine.”

\----------

There was an unmistakable tension in the air when Ladybug and Chat Noir patrolled every night since Chat had announced he had a girlfriend. Ladybug had known it would be inevitable that they would date other people, but she had assumed that when they did, she wouldn’t be secretly hoping they were dating each other isntead. Between her jealousy and Chat’s lack of flirtations that had been a part of his personality since she had meant him, things were… off. She still trusted him with her life in an akuma fight, but the awkward patrols were getting to be unbearable. But that was no matter. Tomorrow was the class picnic. Though it was rewarding, training with the monks had been demanding and isolating in the past few weeks and she was looking forward to the reprieve and being able to spend time with Alya and Nino and Kagami and Adrien and everyone from their class.

\------------

“Is this really a good idea, Tikki?” Marinette asked. She looked herself over in the mirror, marveling at what it was like to wear her hair down. She had claimed to the monks that she was tired and that she just couldn’t focus and needed to rest. Miraculously, they hadn't pushed the topic further and had allowed her to leave early. It was true that she was exhausted, but she wasn’t going home early to rest. She would’ve told them, but over these past few months they had been adamant that her training had to come first.

“I don’t know,” Tikki admitted. “But I think you need this.”

“I do,” she murmured.

\----------

Adrien had to admit, he was glad that Lila Rossi wasn’t there. He had enough going on in his life without adding her to the mix. For one, there was Ladybug. She had been so off since he had told her he had a girlfriend. He had assumed she would be happy for him, maybe even a little relieved that his flirtations weren’t going to her. But now she was just awkward whenever they were on patrol and he didn’t know how he could make things up to her.

Then there was Kagami, who was currently talking with Alya. She was his girlfriend. He cared about her. He really did. And they should be a good couple, logically. They shared a common interest (fencing) and they had similar upbringings and home lives. They understood each other. He enjoyed spending time with her. And yet, she claimed they were perfect for each other while he didn’t know. He had been in love with Ladybug. What he felt towards Kagami was nothing like that. He would have to work on that. He couldn’t see her heartbroken.

And then there was the girl who was waving him over now. Chloe.

He walked towards her. “Hi Chloe.”

“My plan isn’t working,” Chloe confided.

“What plan?” Adrien asked.

“The plan to get people to like me, duh,” Chloe said. Her tone was condescending, as though he should’ve remembered it. Adrien frowned.

“It’s going to take time. You can’t expect to just do one nice thing and have everyone like you again.”

“But I want to.”

Adrien sighed. “Have you tried complimenting people?”

“Complimenting?” Chloe tested the word out in her mouth.

“You know, saying someone has a nice outfit, telling them they did a good job on something, just small things. And then maybe some time you can do something nice for the class.”

“But these people don’t have nice outfits!” Chloe whined.

Adrien couldn’t help, but laugh. Chloe glared at him and he coughed. “Sorry. Well, then let’s think about something nice you could do for the class. Marinette brought treats before. You could try being a good friend like that.”

“I could try to get them sneak previews of the newest fashions from my mom. Then maybe they would have nice outfits for me to compliment.”

Adrien pursed his lips. “The thought is there, but it might need a little more work.”

\------------

“Marinette!” Alya shrieked. She grabbed Marinette by the wrists. “You came!”

Marinette laughed with your friend. “I did!”

Alya pulled her into a hug. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“We see each other every day at school,” Marinette laughed.

“I know, but I miss spending time with you outside of school. Gossiping, talking about the Ladyblog, all the things we used to do,” Alya said.

“Well, the gossip in my life isn’t exactly what it used to be.” As she said that, her eyes caught on Kagami and Adrien. She wasn’t jealous truly. She was happy that Adrien and Kagami were together. She was a little puzzled they were there tonight, knowing how strict their parents were.

Kagami caught Marientte’s stare and walked over to her. “Hello,” she said, smiling as she neared the two girls.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be here with your mother,” Marinette said, returning the smile. She hadn’t seen much of Kagami recently, but from the time she had spent with her, she knew she was sweet.

“I convinced her that I _had_ to work on my school project at 7pm on a Friday,” Kagami replied.

“We better get an ‘A’ with all this time we spend working on it,” Alya laughed. Kagami joined her.

Kagami caught a confused Marinette looking between them. “I told my mother about the project I’m doing with Alya. Though we do spend some of the time working on it, whenever we just want to hang out, I use it as an excuse.”

Marinette let that information settle over her. Alya and Kagami had been hanging out. Of course, they had. It wasn’t fair for Marinette to continue to brush Alya off.

“Sorry,” Alya said. “It’s just you’ve been so busy and we didn’t want to bother you and-”

Marinette stamped down the jealousy that threatened to bubble over. Unfortunately, she made a rather unconvincing attempt at being nonchalant by laughing nervously. “Are you kidding? I completely understand. I’m glad you two are friends. Maybe some time we can all get together.”

“I would love that,” Kagami said. Marinette couldn’t be mad at her. She could feel hurt, but she couldn’t be mad at Kagami wanting to make friends nor Alya for wanting to spend time with someone. “Although, I might have to come up with another excuse.”

“You could say that with your piercing intellect you have been offered a position as a journalist for the Ladyblog?” Alya offered.

Kagami laughed. “I could try, but I don’t think she’d approve.”

Alya had let Kagami be a part of the Ladyblog? It’s not like it wasn’t public, but it still felt personal when Alya would talk to Marinette about it. But no matter, they were free to make their own decisions.

Alya’s eyes drifted towards Nino, her boyfriend who was waving at her. “I’ll let you two catch up,” she said, walking over to Nino. Nino put an arm around her and kissed her forehead. She looked around at the other couples at the picnic. Juleka and Rose were holding hands. Ivan had an arm wrapped around Myelene. It seemed like everyone had someone to be with, except her. She had let her chances at love slip by her. But she had a duty. She could laugh and pretend she didn’t tonight, but tomorrow morning, she’d go back to training and start things all over again.

“Marinette?” Marinette was snapped out of her daze by a concerned Kagami.

“Sorry, just a little tired.”

“I’ve noticed. So has Adrien. I know it’s a stressful time with schoolwork, but you really should try to get more sleep.”

“I know. It’s just hard. But thanks for looking out for me.”

“I might be new to the concept of friendships,” Kagami said, shrugging. “But I do know that friends support each other. And I’m glad to be your friend.”

Marinette smiled at her. “I’m glad to be yours too.”

Kagami sighed. “I never got a chance to tell you before, but I am sorry if being with Adrien caused any problems for you. I know you liked him once. It’s just that, we seem like we could be perfect for each other and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity.”

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous before, but I promise that I’m over Adrien. And even if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t let a guy come between our friendship.”

“I’m glad. It would never be my intention to hurt you. The same goes with Alya. We didn’t try to exclude you, we just got to talking during our project.”

“I understand. I wish I could’ve been a better friend lately.”

“I’m sure you can find some way to make it up to Alya. Maybe you can even write some fanfic for the ladyblog,” Kagami winked.

Marinette laughed. It was nice to laugh with someone. “I think Alya would die if I did that. Hopefully from joy, but maybe also from cringing at my writing.”

“I’m sure it can’t be that bad,” Kagami offered.

“It is,” Marinette laughed.

They talked for a while longer before joining a larger group. It was a relief to be spending time with her friends again, outside of school.

\-------------

“I’m a little disappointed that Adrien and Marinette aren’t together,” Kim admitted to Alya. He had been one of the people highly invested in the possibility of them getting together.

“I know. I am too, but I think that Adrien is good for Kagami right now. But maybe years in the future…” Alya let the thought hang in the air.

Nino facepalmed. “Dudes, if I get pulled into another conversation about the possibility of Adrien and Marinette becoming the power couple of our generation, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“No one said anything about being a power couple,” Alya offered.

“Yeah. Although they might be couple goals someday,” Kim teased.

“Yes. Nothing screams couple goals like awkwardly pining over each other for years, claiming they’re ‘just friends’ every other day, and then dating other people,” Nino groaned. Alya and Kim just laughed.

\-----------------

Adrien had drifted to talking to Ivan and Mylene, when he saw Kagami approaching. He excused himself from Mylene and Ivan. He smiled at his girlfriend. “Hey,” he said. He took her hands in his and let them hang between them.

“I’m sorry if I was jealous of Marinette,” Kagami admitted.

“I’m sorry if I was a bad boyfriend,” Adrien admitted. “This is all new to me and I wasn’t sure how to act.”

“This is all new to me too, Adrien. I guess I was just insecure because I knew how Marinette felt about you. But I just talked to her and she wants to be together.”

Adrien’s heart stopped. “Wait, Marinette had feelings for me?”

“Adrien! That’s the piece you hang on to?” Kagami glared.

“This is just new information to me,” Adrien defended. “I promise I want to be with you, not Marinette.”

“Really? Because that wasn’t the reaction of someone who just wanted to be friends with a person.”

“I thought you weren’t jealous?”

“I wasn’t jealous when you didn’t look excited about the thought of her liking you!”

“Kagami, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Kagami sighed. “I want to be with you Adrien. I just want you to think if you want to be with me too. I don’t want to give up on this.” She walked over to where Marinette was talking to Juleka and Rose. Adrien mentally groaned.

\----------------

“You have a responsibility as guardian,” the male monk lectured. How they had discovered that Marinette had gone to a class picnic instead of resting, she didn’t know. She had tried to say that she _had been_ tired and she had never told them she _wasn’t_ going to go the class picnic, but it was to no avail. “I understand that you are young, but you have been gifted an unimaginable power. This is nothing to be taken lightly.

“I know-“ Marinette started, before she was cut off.

“You don’t know. Dangerous things happen when the Miraculouses are left unprotected. Just look at your Hawkmoth. I’m disappointed in you. I had thought that Master Fu had made the right choice, but maybe I was wrong.”

Marinette’s eyes widened. The wrong choice? No way. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

The monk sighed. “Training will be especially vigorous today to make up for last night. It gives me no pleasure to take you away from your friends, but it is important that you be trained.”

\---------------

Kagami avoided Adrien at lunch on Monday. She hadn’t answered any of her calls on the weekend. “I don’t know what to do,” Adrien confided in Nino.

“Well, being happy when Marinette liked you probably wasn’t the best reaction,” Nino offered.

“I wasn’t happy. I was just… surprised.”

“Right, dude,” Nino rolled his eyes.

“Honest! I like Kagami. I want her to be happy.”

“Then show her. Take her on a date tonight.”

“I have to study with Marinette.”

Nino shot Adrien a look. “I think Marinette will understand.”

Adrien sighed. He could ask Kagami out to dinner and a walk around Paris. Marinette would understand. He mentally cursed when he remembered that he had a patrol with Ladybug that night. He couldn’t exactly explain that to Kagami, though. It wouldn’t be fair to her. He’d see if he could get into contact with Ladybug and tell her he couldn’t make it. He wanted Kagami to be happy. To do that he had to make some tough choices. Ladybug was his past while Kagami was his present.

\--------------

Ladybug sat alone on the rooftop. Rejected by two guys today. That stung. She wasn’t really mad at Adrien; he wanted to spend time with his girlfriend and she couldn’t fault him for that. And they had been far enough long in the project that taking one day off hadn’t hurt. But Chat was something different. It was their job to protect Paris. He couldn’t just skip patrols.

The more she thought of it, the more she wondered if she was mad that he skipped patrols or if she was just jealous. She had thought she was jealous because she was in love with him, but now she saw it in a different way. It was an undeniable fact that, while she hated to admit it, she missed his flirtations and being called "his lady." But more than that, she was jealous of him being able to have a normal life. He was a superhero by night and a civilian who could date and have friends by day. She had so many responsibilities, she couldn’t afford to just let go. He could. She had had her chance with Luka and she let it go. Hell, she had had her chance with Chat months ago. It seemed like she was missing everything. She missed Alya and Kagami. She was mad that Chat was serious enough with this girl that he’d skip a patrol. It meant that someday he’d really leave her. To get married and start a family. Bunnyx had said that Chat was still with her in the future, but maybe just for akuma and monster fights. Their patrols would dwindle and she’d lose him, all the while she’d be doing what? Guarding a box.

She felt herself shaking. She was Ladybug, she was stronger than all of this. It was her duty to protect Paris. She wouldn’t shy away from this, but it didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt.

Ladybug was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice the sound of footsteps behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really am trying to keep this as true to the series, but at some point my creative license takes over. And with that, a few things about this chapter: 1) I think that ultimately Marinette wants to do the right thing, but stress has an unfortunate way of getting to people. 2) I again, hope this isn’t too jumpy. I’m trying to set up background, but also not making it so boring that I wouldn’t want to read it so certain fights and stuff just have to be implied. 3) I had to do a villain monologue at some point and wanted to do it sooner rather than later. If I find someplace better to put it, I might edit it out and add it somewhere else, but for now Felix is going to give a pigeon his dramatic villain monologue. Lila is many things, but I’d like to think she doesn’t want to actually destroy the world.  
> For now, I’m planning there to be 17 chapters including prologues and epilogues. I was hoping to get in done by the end of July but I doubt that will happen now.  
> Thanks for reading. Hopefully it’s not total trash haha.


	7. Hawkmoth's Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug gives into the pressure. Adrien's date is interrupted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I already posted this chapter, but I realized that I didn't make an important detail real clear in the actual story so here it is again, updated.

“Ladybug,” a familiar voice said. Ladybug snapped her head up to look at Chat walking towards her.

“Hello, Chat.” She tried to keep her voice from wavering too much as she spoke. Chat came to sit beside her. “I thought you had a date.”

“We need to talk,” he said. Ladybug again noticed the different in how he addressed her. This was worse than them being awkward with each other. The voice he used now lacked any warmth she could associate with Chat.

“Oh?” Ladybug asked, though she could feel cold wash over her from the way he was speaking. 

“I’ve made a decision. I have a girlfriend. You’re getting in the way of that.”

“What-,” Chat cut her off again with a glare.

“I’m done with this. I’m done with you. I’ll meet you for battles, but I think it’s best we do patrols separately. I want no more contact.”

“But I haven’t done anything. We’re friends.”

“You haven’t done anything?" he scoffed. "Ladybug, the biggest heartbreaker of Paris. How many times did you break my heart? How many times did you turn down my offer to reveal our identities? We could have been united and more powerful together, but you were too stubborn. You put your responsibilities before everything else in your life and then get upset when you’re hurt because of it. I hope things worked out with that boy you loved because you’ve lost me. I’ll keep fighting with you, but our patrols had better be separate.” Chat leapt off the rooftop, leaving her to wallow alone.

In the back of her head a voice screamed that this couldn’t be true, but it was overpowered by all of her fears and memories. Memories of Chat looking heartbroken when she rejected his offer to reveal himself, the fears of loneliness. It felt like she was being stabbed in the gut. The tears she had been fighting off returned in earnest.

She didn’t notice that as Chat turned the corner, the sound of his footsteps vanished. She certainly didn’t notice a black butterfly flying up behind her and lodging itself into her yo-yo at her hip. Suddenly there was a new voice in her head. “Ladybug, all you want is to be free of these responsibilities and secrets. Work with me and Mayura and bring me your and Chat Noir’s Miraculouses and all your secrets can go away.”

“Yes, Hawkmoth,” Ladybug said.

\-----------

Hawkmoth smiled. His plan was finally going to work. Mayura had been noticing Ladybug slipping these past few weeks and a few harsh words from a sentimonster taking the shape of Chat Noir was all it took for Ladybug to be the ultimate weapon for getting the Miraculous.

“Chat Noir, will have no idea it’s coming his way,” Hawkmoth laughed. “With Ladybug under my control, she will have no problem defeating Chat Noir and bringing me both his and her Miraculouses. Then I will awaken Emilie and we will save the day and we will all be together as we should be.”

\-------------

Adrien had thought it was a great plan to go on a date with Kagami tonight. He hoped that this would be a good time to patch everything up between them. He hadn’t expected an akuma.

“There’s an akuma at the Eiffel Tower,” the television at the restaurant spoke as several screams echoed outside.

“You should go hide,” he said to Kagami.

“What about you?” Kagami asked.

“I, um, my father won’t want me to be away from home during an akuma attack,” he lied, hoping it wasn’t too obvious.

“I think your father would want you to be safe first and not run out in the street,” Kagami shot back.

“Please, I need you to hide,” Adrien begged. Maybe someday he could tell Kagami, but not now. It was too soon and he had secretly hoped that he and Ladybug would be the first to reveal their identities.

Kagami glared at him, but ran to hide anyway. Adrien breathed a sigh of relief and ran out into the street. He turned a corner and ran into a dark alleyway.

“Plagg, claws out,” he whispered, going through the familiar motions of his transformation to Chat Noir.

He used his baton to swing himself to the Eiffel Tower. He landed on a platform to find that Ladybug was there, swinging her yo-yo as she circled the akuma.

The akuma had a white suit with music notes all over it. “They told me I wasn’t good enough,” he shrieked. “Now all of Paris will here the music of the Music Man and become so enamored with it that they stop to listen.”

The akuma continued to try to hit Ladybug as she leapt around.”

“Call your Lucky Charm,” Chat yelled to Ladybug.

“I tried,” Ladybug yelled back. “It didn’t work. The akuma is in the flute. I can distract him if you can get to him.”

Chat looked between Ladybug and the akuma. Her Lucky Charm always worked. He’d figure out what was wrong later, first he had an akuma to deal with.

Chat dove for the akuma. Once he had the flute in his grasp, he’d be able to Cataclysm it and get the akuma for Ladybug to purify. Almost too easily he was able to grasp it. He watched in shock as it vanished under his touch. He hadn’t used his Cataclysm. How did it disappear? He turned just in time to see the akumatized civilian disappear, leaving behind a single purple feather. “Mayura?” he kept his eyes trained to the spot where the feather now lay. “I don’t understand.”

“It was a distraction, Kitty,” Ladybug, said coming up behind him.

Chat’s brow furrowed. “A distraction? For what?”

Ladybug’s voice turned sharp. “For me.”

Chat whipped his head around to look at Ladybug. He had been too focused on the Akuma before to notice that the spots on her suit had changed. His eyes widened in realization. She wasn’t Ladybug.

“I am Miss Fortune, and you will give me your Miraculous,” she yelled, launching herself at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to think that under normal circumstance, Ladybug would be able to tell that Chat Noir was a sentimonster. However, I think that Ladybug was just sort of spiraling and when you’re spiraling sometimes it can be hard to listen to the facts. So now we have… Miss Fortune.


	8. Miss Fortune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Chat Noir vs Miss Fortune!

Chat Noir walked backwards as Ladybug- Miss Fortune- slowly stalked towards him. He let his eyes roam over her body, trying to see where an akuma might’ve gone. His eyes snagged on the yo-yo she was twirling in her hands. It had to be there.

Chat Noir dodged a strike from is yo-yo. He thanked all the times he had gotten distracted watching her fight as he had a vague idea of what she would do. She might be akumatized, but she was his partner and he knew her style. He also knew that he wouldn’t be able to win in a fight against her. He might be able to hold her off for a while, but eventually he would get tired. In her akumatized state, she would not.

Chat plastered a grin on is face, trying to let none of his fear show. “Miss Fortune, now is not the time to bug out. Let's take a deep _purr_ -reath and talk this out.”

“Shut up with your puns!” Miss Fortune cried. “I just want this to end!”

If Miss Fortune hadn’t kept up her advances, Chat Noir would have frozen in place. What did she want to end? Being Ladybug? He thought she had loved it, as much as he had loved being Chat Noir. 

As awful as it was, Chat realized he could use her emotions against her. He couldn’t beat her in a fight, but he could at least make her hesitate long enough to get the akuma.

“It can be over,” he cooed. “Stop fighting me and it can be over. Trust me.”

Miss Fortune threw a punch at him. Instinctively he threw out his baton to knock her to the ground. He gasped. She might be an akuma, but deep down she was still his partner. He could never dream of hurting her.

Miss Fortune rose from the ground with a grunt. Any sympathy Chat had felt towards her was gone, replaced by fear, when he saw her face. It was angry and dark and so unlike Ladybug. Chat used his baton to swing himself up to a higher platform. He was vaguely aware of a news helicopter circling as Miss Fortune followed him up.

“Trust you?” she sneered. She threw a punch which he narrowly avoided. “After you said all those awful things. About how I was a heartbreaker and lost you? Not a chance, kitty.”

When had he said that? He would never say anything to hurt her. “I didn’t!” He tried to protest.

He could tell Miss Fortune hesitated for a second, a second he used to knock her to the ground. He pinned her to the ground with his body. If he could just grab her yo-yo-

All of a sudden he was caught in a rainstorm. “What-” he croaked, launching himself off Miss Fortune and huddling in on himself. He hated rain… and it was raining on him? It had been sunny skies only a moment ago. He looked around him. It was still sunny skies except for a singular rain cloud a few feet above his head like he was a sad cartoon character.

“My akuma power,” she shrugged. “Ladybug’s are good luck, but I am not a ladybug. You have the misfortune of getting stuck in a rainstorm, kitty cat,” she taunted.

Chat shivered against the rain, but kept talking. “Listen, I know that what you’re going through is tough, but this isn’t the answer. Talk to me, please, Ladybug.”

“Ladybug!” she spat. “What happened to ‘Bugaboo’? What happened to what we had?”

“We changed. We can talk about it and we can talk about what you want to end, but we changed.”

Chat could see the gears turning in her head. She was stopping… but then a butterfly shaped mask bloomed up around her head again. Hawkmoth was speaking to her. He needed to get closer to her to stop her. He needed to get out of the puddle forming.

“Talking won’t help!” she cried, throwing herself at him again. “There are too many lies, too much secrecy!”

Chat Noir found himself being backed against the structure of the tower. This could work for him. If she pinned him, they would be close. She needed to be close to him to take his Miraculous, but in doing so she’d be close enough to him for him to Cataclysm her yo-yo.

Chat was finally backed against a railing. He raised his hands above his head in surrender. “You win.”

“Of course, I do,” Miss Fortune sneered. She used her yo-yo to tie his hands together and to one of the beams of the tower, leaving him helpless. Her body pressed into him. If this were the real Ladybug, Chat could almost imagine this position in a different context, one where he might actually be… no, he couldn’t think like that now.

“Say goodbye to your Miraculous,” Miss Fortune slowly reached a hand to his hand.

“Not quite,” Chat said. “Cataclysm!” he yelled. He saw her eyes widen in realization. He grabbed hold of the yo-yo, crushing both it and the akuma.

The bindings that held his wrists snapped as a dark wave washed over Ladybug, reverting her to normal. Thankfully the only real damage was his soaked body so her Miraculous Ladybug wasn’t in order.

He grabbed hold of her before she hit the ground. Her eyes opened groggily. “What-” Ladybug’s eyes widened as she took in her surroundings: a wet Chat cradling her in his arms on the Eiffel Tower, news helicopters circling. “Wh-what happened?” she croaked.

“You-” Chat was cut off by a beeping. His miraculous.

“You have to go,” Ladybug noted. She scowled at the ground.

“I have to let Plagg recharge, but we’re going to talk about this. Meet me at the school in 15?” he asked. Something happened that was bad enough for her to get akumatized. He couldn’t leave her alone. Not now. Whatever awkwardness was between them, she was his partner and he cared about her.

Ladybug nodded, but didn’t meet his eyes. He took a hand and put it under her chin, dragging her gaze up to this. “Hey, it'll be alright. Fifteen minutes, okay?”

“Okay,” she scanned her surroundings. “The cameras…” she trailed off.

“I’ll tell them to leave. Wait until the coast is clear and then go to the school.”

He let her stand and then stood up himself. He stood at the edge of the tower. “It’s all fine. It was nothing, but a copycat akuma!” The words were bitter in his mouth. He hated lying, but it was Ladybug. He couldn’t disappoint Paris by revealing that their hero had fallen under Hawkmoth’s control and he certainly couldn’t embarrass her.

He flashed a quick look behind him as the helicopters began to drift away. He catapulted off to find somewhere to transform before going back to the roof top of the school.

\---------

Hawkmoth fought the urge to scream. That was supposed to be it. Ladybug was his. All she had to do was defeat Chat Noir and take bring the Miraculous back to him. It was all so easy.

“Your plan failed,” Tomoe stated the obvious. “You underestimated the boy and his feelings for his partner." She turned and disappeared.

As his window closed, leaving him without the natural sunlight, Hawkmoth found him yelling the heroes that weren’t there. “Ladybug and Chat Noir, someday luck will not be on your side! I will get your Miraculouses!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I never have to write the words “soaked body” again. Please kill me if I do.  
> Also Hawkmoth: I love his sheer ridiculousness. Ladybug gets annoyed by Chat Noir’s puns, but Hawkmoth literally ends every villain monologue with a pun! And he though akumatizing a toddler was a good idea! And he has no concept of strategy! What is that man on?? Ahahahah.


	9. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir talk about what happened

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter is abnormally short for me (only being one scene), but I thought it meant sense for it to be on its own.

Chat Noir dropped down on to the rooftop of the school. The sun was just starting to set, leaving the sky a pinkish color. Ladybug sat at the edge of the rooftop, looking out into the distant. He began to walk slowly towards her, not wanting to startle her if she hadn’t seen him arrive.

“I got akumatized,” she said. She didn’t look at him, but he knew she was talking to him.

“You did,” he nodded. He sat close to her, but not so close that they were touching.

“I can’t believe it. I’m the protector of Paris. It’s my job to protect the city. I failed.” She put a hand to her mouth to try to stifle a sob.

Chat’s eyes widened. He pulled her close, as if on instinct. “Hey, none of that. You were upset. Having emotions isn’t a failure.”

He rubbed her back as he held her. He could feel her body shake in his arms. “It’ll be alright,” he whispered. “I have you. It’ll be alright.”

After a while Ladybug pulled back. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “Do you- do you want to talk about it?” He didn’t want to pressure her, but he also didn’t want to let this problem go unaddressed.

Ladybug sighed. “I guess I’ve just been under a lot of pressure lately. Guardian training has been intense and I feel like I’m pushing everyone away. And I can’t even explain what is going on to my friends. I understand now why you wanted to know my identity so badly. The secrecy hurts.”

“You were doing it to protect us,” he whispered.

“I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”

Chat paused for a moment. "Have you ever considered... getting therapy?"

Ladybug's eyes widened. Chat briefly wondered if he had overstepped. "Chat, I can't tell anyone I'm Ladybug!"

"I know, but I don't think you would have to tell them _that_. Just that you're stressed and want to work on managing it."

Ladybug was silent for a moment. She has been feeling off these past few weeks. It's a wonder that Hawkmoth didn't akumatize her sooner. But therapy? The thought scared her, but maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing. When she spoke again, it was slow and deliberate. "I'll think about it."

“Good. It's important for everyone to have strong coping strategies, especially you." Chat sighed. "For the record, I’m sorry if any of my recent behavior played into your stress."

Ladybug smiled, but Chat could tell it was forced. “You have a girlfriend. That’s great. You were right. I broke your heart and I lost my chance. I couldn’t expect you to just keep around waiting for me when I turned you down all those times.”

Chat gaped at her. “When did I ever make you feel like that?”

Ladybug’s eyebrows creased, looking skeptically at her partner who seemed to be aghast by his own statements. “Before I got akumatized, you came and talked to me…”

“I was on a date before you got akumatized.”

Chat watched as Ladybug's eyes narrowed before widening in realizations. She groaned and placed her face in her hands. "I got tricked by a sentimonster!?!”

Chat couldn’t help his laugh. “It happens to the best of us. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who can fall under Hawkmoth and Mayura’s influences.”

Ladybug went silent and looked at him. “Now what are _you_ talking about?”

Chat sighed. “I’m always falling under the akumas’ influences. It seems like half the time you have to fight me as well as our akuma. You’re the true superhero of the two of us. And then there was the time I almost let Mayura get my Miraculous because I thought her sentimonster was you.” He avoided her gaze

She craned her neck to try to meet his eyes. “Every time you got hit it was because you were protecting me. You’re just as super as I am.”

“No, you’re the great one. You heard Bunnyx. You’re the greatest superhero ever. You lead a team of superheroes.”

“Are you jealous?” she asked, trying to make sense of his emotions.

“No? I don’t know," Chat looks down. "It just feels like sometimes you don’t need me.”

“I always need you, Chat. I know some people see you as my sidekick, but you are my partner. You annoy me a lot, but I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without you. You’re my other half. You’re amazing.”

Chat’s frown shifted into a smile. “We came here to talk about your problems and now we’re talking about mine. Thanks, Bugaboo.”

She pushed his shoulder at the familiar nickname. “Shut up,” she laughed. Chat took the opportunity to bring her for a side hug. They rested their heads against each other and looked out into the setting sun.

“I’m sorry things were awkward. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me,” Chat whispered.

“No, Chat, you're allowed to date who you want. I’m sorry that I let that get in the way of our partnership. Your partnership means everything to me, Kitty.” There was another pause. “So, what happens now? I mean, I'll _think_ about getting therapy, but does everything go back to the way it was before?”

“Well, I might not have a girlfriend so that will be new,” Chat scoffed without humor.

Ladybug straightened up to look him in the eye. “What happened?” Chat felt his heart melt at the concern in her eyes.

“I haven’t exactly been the best boyfriend and when I tried to take her on a nice date to patch things up, I had to leave because of the akuma alert.”

Ladybug clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh no! You might break up because of me! I’m so sorry.”

“You’re sorry? I thought you’d be ec-cat-tic! Here I was thinking you were jealous and falling in love with me, and-” Ladybug shoved her teasing partner. She admired that he could make the serious situation funny. She had always rolled her eyes at his puns, but maybe there was something to be said for them and the relief of laughter they brought.

“I may have missed the nicknames and I may have been a little jealous, but I want you to be happy, Chat. If she made you happy, I’m sorry it’s ending.”

“It’s okay. I think that she always wanted more than I was ready to give. I guess I never really thought about what a normal relationship would be and if I’m actually ready for it.” He sighed. “Besides, it’s not like I can tell her about my identity. Today was just one instance, but if we keep dating, there are bound to be other times where I need to leave and can’t explain.

“Yeah. I went on a few dates with this one guy, but I eventually broke things off. Dating and being a masked superhero don’t exactly mix.”

“I had no idea, bug. I’m so sorry.”

“It seems like there are a lot of sorries going around,” she teased.

They were silent for a moment before Chat spoke again. His voice lost was quieter. "You know, I was actually in love with you. All my flirtations weren't jokes."

Ladybug hung her head. "I know. I am so so sorry I hurt you."

"Yeah, well, I just want you to know that I'll resume my nicknames for you, but I can't go back to flirting with you. Not like it was before. I've moved on from you and I need it to stay that way." Even as Chat said the words, he wasn’t sure that they were true. He had been in love with Ladybug for years, those feelings didn’t just go away. But he wanted to try, at least, even if he couldn’t with Kagami. 

"I understand. We're partners." 

There was Chat's smile again. Ladybug was amazed at how it could change. “We are. And as your partner, I promise to keep annoying you with my puns and not to let dating come between us again.” He winked at her. “Bugaboo.”

Ladybug rolled her eyes, but laughed at the familiar nickname. “I promise to talk to you when I’m feeling upset and I promise to support you whenever you fail to acknowledge how awesome you are, kitty.” She smiled, but it was a smile that quickly disappeared as she slapped her hands up to her face. “What about the guardian training? I’ll still miss things with my civilian friends and have to keep secrets. And the worst part is that I understand why. It’s important I train so I can better protect everyone. I’m protecting my friends in doing all this, but they’ll never understand. They probably think I hate them.”

Chat brought her hands down from her face. “Just because you understand, doesn’t mean you can’t feel mad about it. And I am sure you’re friends don’t think you hate them. I don’t know your civilian self, but I do know that Ladybug is kind and caring and I bet her friends can see that.” He put on a mock scowl. “Besides, I demand that you speak to the monks about giving you more free time.”

“You _demand_?” She pulled back, bringing a hand up to her chest in mock surprise.

“Yes. I don’t want a partner who is exhausted all the time. If they don’t cut back on your training, I’ll just refuse to work with you.”

“I don’t know if they’ll listen to that,” she laughed.

He turned serious again. “Just promise me that you will talk to them. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

“You mean you just don’t want to risk losing to Miss Fortune,” she teased.

“Well, that would’ve been _misfortunate_ , but I care about you, my lady.” He laid a kiss on the back of her hand. She had missed that and all the physical closeness they had lacked. It was nice to just talk and be close. She watched as the teasing sparkle returned to his eyes. “Although, I could totally beat you in a fight!”

“Not a chance!”

“I thought you didn’t want me to be self-deprecating! I thought you said we were partners!” he gasped in mock hurt.

“I lied,” she teased, causing them to laugh. “I’d be the superior one in a fight.”

The two superheroes continued to banter and tease as the sun set, happy to be starting to find their way back to a better place in their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I was going to make Ladybug actually steal Chat's Miraculous and it be close to over there, but that would be boring! So now I'm going to write more! Really, I just want to try to explore and expand other characters. Will I do it well, remains a mystery, but I'm going to try. Plus, I wanted Chat and Ladybug to make up.  
> As always, thanks for reading!


	10. Tying Up Loose Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette ties up loose ends in her life. Adrien talks to Kagami. Lila considers a new option, but learns something new.

Ladybug was nervous, but she was going to do as Chat had suggested and talk to the monks. He had offered to come with her, but this was something she had to do on her own. She had a responsibility to the monks to train to be a good guardian, but she also couldn’t let herself get overwhelmed like she had.

“I understand you were akumatized, Ladybug,” the head monk said, sitting across from her. His eyes seemed to bore into her soul as he spoke.

She leveled her shoulders and stared at him head monk who was sitting across from her. “I was. And it made me come to some of my own conclusions. I’m sorry, but I need to have more free time.”

“And why would we give you more free time for your failure?”

Ladybug met the monk’s stare. “Having emotions isn’t a failure. Everyone has them, even if they’d rather pretend they don’t. I can learn your meditations and I can learn to control my temper, but if I can’t have more time with my friends and family, then I can’t promise that I won’t become so overwhelmed that I’m a target for Hawkmoth again.”

The head monk narrowed his gaze at her. “And if we don’t give you more free time?”

“I have a responsibility to you and the Miraculouses, but I also have a responsibility to Paris and my partner.”

The monk held her gaze for another moment before sitting back. “It takes strength of spirit to confront a person and demand change. It will take that same strength of spirit to protect the Miraculouses. Master Fu did not make a mistake when he chose you to be the guardian. We will discuss a new schedule that will better suit you.”

\-----------

Adrien sat with Kagami in a secluded part of the park. He braced himself, ready for Kagami to break up with him, hoping it wouldn’t be too awkward that they couldn’t remain friends.

“Adrien,” Kagami began. “What happened the other day was extremely awkward.”

“It was. I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you. We just need to work at this and communicate better in the future,” she finished. She paused, waiting for him to speak.

That was it? He had just left her and that was it? Maybe on paper they were perfect, but in real life they just weren’t on the same page. Maybe if they really worked at it, then they would, but was that work they were willing to put it? He wanted her to be happy, but maybe this wasn’t the way to get there.

“Kagami, we have similar lives and I love being your friend, but as boyfriend and girlfriend, we’re just not working. I don’t think I’m ready to be what you want me to be and you deserve someone who feels the same way you do.”

Kagami’s cool demeanor broke and she widened her eyes at him. He felt like his heart was getting stabbed. “You’re quitting? But you can’t. We’re meant to be together.”

“You keep saying ‘we’re meant to be’. You are a wonderful and amazing girl. I don’t want you to settle for me because you think I’m the only person who will ever care about you or be up to your standards. Someday you will find someone as amazing and wonderful as you are. I’m not that person.”

Kagami stared at him. He braced himself, expecting her to yell at him or punch him. He did not expect her to hug him. Hesitantly, he hugged back. Nino liked to tease him that he was socially inept. Maybe he was, but even with his limited knowledge, he knew that breakups generally didn’t involve hugging. Did he miss something?

“Thank you,” she whispered. She pulled back to look him in the eye. “I care about you a lot, Adrien. But I agree that being girlfriend and boyfriend has been a lot. I want to be close to you and I think I may have misinterpreted that. I just wanted us to be normal and work. I haven’t gotten much normalcy with my mother.”

“I want to be close to you too!” A smile came to his face. “I understand wanting normalcy. Can we start over as friends?”

“Of course,” Kagami smiled at him. She reached out her hand to his and he gladly took it. Holding her hand like this, as friends, felt natural to him. She was is friend and he was glad she was in his life.

\--------

Marinette was proud of her interaction with the monks. They had agreed to cut back her training to three times a week. The training would be intense, but she could still manage friendships and schoolwork.

She knew she had to talk with Alya, but there was one more loose end she had to patch up. She found herself in front of a familiar boat. Sitting on the wall beside it, his legs dipping over the Seine and his guitar in hand, was Luka.

He turned as she walked toward him. “Hello, Marinette,” he smiled when he saw her. He always smiled at her, even after she broke up with him.

“Hi, Luka,” Marinette said, coming to sit beside her. “How have you been?”

“Good, but I’m guessing you didn’t come all this way to ask me that,” he teased. His voice was soft when he spoke and she could see all the reasons she dated him. But she also remembered all the reasons she broke up with him.

“You’re right. I came to apologize.”

“Marinette, you don’t need to-” he started.

“No. I do. You were so patient for me while we dated and I’m sorry I couldn’t be a better girlfriend.”

“It’s okay, Marinette. I knew you had hesitations when we started dating. I had hoped you could open up to me, but it didn’t work and that’s fine.”

“I want you to know that it wasn’t you. I had- _I have_ \- a lot going on in my life that I can’t explain to _anyone._ I want you to know that you are a really great guy and that the reason I stopped seeing you wasn’t because of you.” She had felt so guilty their whole relationship, with her having to keep a secret from him. She knew that the monks loosening her training wouldn’t change that.

“Thank you,” Luka said. “I hope you don’t mind, but I continue to use you as a muse sometimes.”

“Luka-”

“Don’t worry. I don’t expect anything from you. I just need to know, are you happy?”

She thought about her life these past few weeks. It had been stressful and horrible. If he asked her last week, she probably would’ve said no. But she thought back to this morning when she had stood up to the monks. She thought of what she would say to Alya later today and how she’d begin to patch their friendship back up. And she thought of last night with Chat, when all their awkwardness seemed to disappear and they were on their way back to being partners. “I think I’m getting to be.”

“That’s all I need to hear.”

\----------

Marinette knew that she would see Alya tomorrow at school, but she wanted to talk to her privately. Her friendship had meant so much to her and Marinette felt guilty about leaving her these past few months. There was a lot she had to make up for.

Marinette had asked if Alya had wanted to meet her along the Seine. There were plenty of nice benches and Marinette always loved looking at the stalls along the river with their colorful postcards and paintings and old books. She had brought along a box of macarons to give to her friend.

“Hey, Alya,” Marinette said, approaching her friend who had already made herself comfortable on the bench.

“Hey, girl. Long time no see,” Alya said.

“Yeah,” Marinette said, sheepishly, “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Marinette sat beside Alya on the bench. “Macarons?” she offered, hoping the French cookies could serve as a peace offering.

Alya gladly accepted. She turned her body on the bench so her legs were tucked up around her and she was facing Marinette. The noirette tried to mimic her friend and nearly fell off the bench if it wasn’t for the red-head grabbing her arm and hoisting her back up. Alya laughed and Marinette found herself laughing back. “That’s my girl,” Alya teased. “Clumsy as ever. So, what did you want to talk about?”

“I wanted to apologize for blowing you off these past few weeks,” Marinette said.

“It’s okay, Marinette. You’ve been helping your parents. I get that.”

“It’s not okay. You’re my friend and I should have tried harder to spend time with you. I talked with my parents and they’ve agreed to lessen my time in the bakery. I hope you’ll be willing to let me make up for the time we’ve missed.”

“Always,” Alya said. “I’ve missed you.” Alya reached out to embrace Marinette

“Me too,” Marinette returned the red-head’s hug. She pulled back. “We should try to do something tomorrow.”

“I’ve actually told Kagami I would go to the movies with her tomorrow, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind you joining us.”

“I’d love that.” Before she could stop herself, Marinette pressed the Kagami-topic further. “You’ve been spending more time with Kagami recently?”

“Yeah. She’s been really great. You won’t believe how much that girl has missed out on. She’s almost as bad as Adrien.” Alya caught Marinette’s paling face. “But she could never replace you.”

“Of course- I didn’t- I just meant- not jealous- you can-” Marinette stuttered.

Alya laughed. “You’ve been so chill with Adrien lately, I’ve almost forgot you can stutter. It’s nice to see some things don’t change.”

\---------

"I'm proud of you, Marinette," Tikki told the hero later that night.

"For what?" Marinette asked, looking up at the ceiling from her spot on her bed.

"For standing up for yourself with the monks. And for talking with Alya. It's never easy being Ladybug, but you're handling it well."

Marinette played with her necklace. "You think?"

"I know," Tikki said.

"Chat suggested I get therapy," she admitted.

"Do you want to? You wouldn't be the first of my Ladybug's to be stressed."

Marinette sighed. "I don't know. It might be nice, but at the same time it's scary. And it's one more thing on the plate."

Tikki nestled onto her chosen's shoulder. "You don't need to make any decisions now, but you can keep it in mind for the future."

Marinette gave a small smile at that. "I suppose I will." Marinette's face widened into a larger smile. "It's so sweet that Chat cares enough for me to think of that!"

Tikki sighed, but smiled at her chosen's enthusiasm.

\--------------

The next day, Alya, Nino, and Marinette ate lunch in the school courtyard. Marinette found her eyes drifting to Adrien and Kagami who were walking to the exit of the school. Kagami hugged Adrien as he left the school.

“That’s new,” Alya whistled.

“What? Adrien leaving early for photo shoots?” Nino raised an eyebrow at Marinette. “What? I don’t need to have his schedule plastered to my wall to know that’s why he occasionally leaves school early.” Nino laughed, but Alya ignored it and kept talking.

“No. Kagami and Adrien being physically affectionate.”

“But aren’t they boyfriend-girlfriend?”

“Yeah, but they’ve been… awkward. Stand-offish with each other. At least, Adrien has.”

“Oh,” Marinette had been so caught up in her own world she hadn’t even noticed.

“I know that Adrien went on a date with Kagami a few days ago, hoping to patch things up. Maybe it worked,” Nino offered.

“Maybe,” Alya said, though she sounded skeptical. She smiled when she noticed Kagami approaching, a smile on her face as well. “You look happy.”

“I am,” Kagami said, sitting beside the three students.

“Did Adrien and you fix what was the matter?” Alya pressed. Ever the journalist, she never beat around the bush.

“Yes and no. We broke up.”

Three voices offered their condolences, but Kagami laughed them all off. “It’s fine, really. I think it’s better this way. I like Adrien a lot, but I think we are better friends. I think I just wanted to be a normal teenager so much that I was reaching for something that weren’t there.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re happy,” Alya said. “Oh, and speaking of happy, Marinette’s parents have decided she can spend less time working and more time with us. I invited her to come with the movies with us today, if you don’t mind.”

“I would love that,” Kagami beamed. “I’m glad you can spend more time with us Marinette.”

“Me too,” the fashion designer said.

“Wait, I don’t get an invite?” Nino protested.

“Nope, girls only, babe,” Alya said, smiling at Nino as he pretended to be hurt. The four friends laughed.

Their laughter was interrupted by Chloe strutting up to them. “I have something for you all,” she announced proudly.

“Back-handed compliments,” Alya muttered under her breath.

“Ladybug cupcakes,” she announced proudly. Holding a box out to the four friends.

“Are they poisoned?” Nino asked, which earned an elbow from Alya. “Hey! You had to be thinking it too!”

“No!” Chloe said. There was some of that familiar Chloe fired. “I’m trying to be _nice._ But if you don’t want the cupcakes-”

“We’ll take the cupcakes,” Alya said, reaching for one. Kagami, Marinette, and Nino followed suit.

Marinette took a hesitant bite. It tasted good. Not as good as one from the Dupain-Cheng bakery, of course, but good nonetheless. “There are great!” Marinette said. It was a new feeling for Marinette, to be complimenting Chloe, but she remembered what Adrien had said about giving Chloe a second-chance.

“Great. So now we’re friends.”

“Wait a minute. That’s all this was about?” A familiar, angered spark entered Alya’s eyes. “You were awful to us for years. You helped Hawkmoth. It’s going to take more than just a cupcake to fix that.”

“I know, but now I’m trying to fix things. I’m sorry for all the things I did.” Chloe’s voice sounded more bitter than apologetic. “If you don’t want my apology that’s fine.” Chloe left.

“Marinette is clumsy and Chloe is a brat. I guess some things don’t change,” Alya muttered.

Marinette wasn’t sure why, but she chased Chloe. She met the girl near the stairwell. “Chloe, I’m sorry, but you’ve hurt a lot of people. It’s not that simple.”

“Well, thanks Dupain-Cheng, but I don’t want to feel pity from someone who pulls their clothes from the trash.”

Marinette tried to stomp down her anger. “I am trying to be nice to you. Why are you making this all so difficult? Adrien said-”

“Adrikins talked to you about me?” Chloe interrupted. There was a sort of pleading in her voice.

“He said we should give you another chance if you really wanted to change, but based on those comments, I’m not sure if you did. Sorry, Chloe, you have to try harder.” Marinette turned and left, angered by Chloe. She didn’t notice Lila watching them with a renewed interest.

\-----------

Lila met Felix at the same coffee shop.

“I think we should try to get Chloe to help us,” Lila said. “She would be easy to manipulate and very useful.”  
“Chloe? The selfish brat? We cannot have just anyone helping us,?” Felix stormed. He kept his voice at a whisper, but his anger was there. Lila was taken aback.

“She is usually incredibly selfish. I figure she’d be an easy playing piece,” Lila shrugged.

“It is not that simple,” Felix hissed. “It seems I may have misjudged you, Lila. I can give you power, but only if you follow my orders.”

“I thought you wanted me for my ingenuity.”

Felix looked around. “We need to go somewhere private.”

Felix gripped Lila’s wrist and pulled her out of the coffee shop. He was careful to hold her just tight enough to pull her with him, but not tight enough to draw any attention. Felix kept his hold on Lila until they were in an alleyway, secluded from others. Lila kept a steady face, but even with his powers muted, he could sense her fear. Such a lovely actress, that Lila Rossi.

“You do not understand the full magnitude of my plans. I am not from this world, Lila Rossi. My name is unpronounceable by your tongue, though I suppose you would call me a demon. I once ruled this earth, before I was banished by the first wardens of the portal. Even now, I only exist in this shell. The full extent of my powers are not accessible without the portal I entered this world being opened permanently. That is why I need Chat Noir and Ladybug. They _will_ open a portal freeing my brethren into this world. For your help and cooperation, you will be spared. I could use a lieutenant helping me bring darkness to this world.”

Lila dropped her acting for the second time that day. She wanted power, she wanted Ladybug brought to her knees, but did she really want to destroy the world to get it. To give power any meaning, there had to be people to look down upon. “I-”

“You may leave if you wish now that you know the truth. Just know that even with your abilities to lie being as they are, no one will possibly believe you on this,” Felix grinned.

“You’ll let me go?” Lila croaked. “You won’t hurt me.”

“I won’t hurt you.” Felix smiled at her. Lila just ran away. Felix watched her go. He knew she’d back. She would willingly help him and she would help make sure the world as everyone knew it fell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked the direction I took the Kagami and Adrien breakup scene in. I originally wanted Kagami to stand up for herself and break up with Adrien, but I couldn’t actually see her doing it. Even though it was in her best interest and it countered the advice she had given Adrien, I don’t think she would give up. She was so adamant that they were meant to be. But I do know what it’s like to get your feelings for a person confused when you want to be close but social constructs tell you that interactions between the opposite gender must be romantic. So, I decided to explore that. Maybe the show will actually strengthen their relationship and make them a good couple, but at the end of season 3, they really weren’t clicking and I didn’t want to make them.  
> 


	11. New Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tomoe reveals her plan to Nathalie and Gabriel. A new akuma attacks. Ladybug considers a plan that could turn the tides.

“So, what exactly is your plan and why will it work?” Gabriel asked. He was starting to get a headache. How many options had he and Nathalie explored on his path to get the Miraculous? Catalyst, Miracle Queen, Miss Fortune… all brilliant plans that had been ended because of two _teenagers_. All he wanted was to bend the fabric of space to his will to revive his wife. Was that so much to ask?

“You need to let them think that they have won.”

Gabriel blinked at her. “Excuse me?”

"If you had taken a more forceful approach rather than taking the cowardly approach, perhaps things would be different. As it stands, you have built your whole plan around staying locked in your gilded tower, rarely seeing the battle. So now, we must work with that." 

"Who are you calling a coward-" Gabriel started, his face turning an ugly shade of red." 

"You." Tomoe spoke, holding a hand up. It was a simple gesture and yet it demanded all attention on her. “You’ve tried getting their Miraculouses by force with your akumas, which is clearly not working. You need to change tactics. Leverage and false comfort. You need to wear down their Miraculouses. And then finally their hearts, their ultimate weakness. The two heroes always come to the rescue, no matter the price. The price in that case will be the Miraculous.”

“I think I see,” Nathalie said, nodding her head from her spot on the couch beside Gabriel. Gabriel gaped between the two women. How did this make any sense? “We would need to lure them into the lair, of course, somewhere they couldn’t easily run out of to save the day. How would you propose we put a civilian in danger with me and Gabriel fighting the two heroes?”

“As an adult, Hawkmoth, your powers are greater than the two heroes might realize. You can akumatize a person without much thought. I need you to akumatize me. I can use my daughter as bait and be hidden until the time is too late.”

“Would you hurt your own daughter?” Nathalie asked. Her voice held no judgement, only asking to clarify.

“I do not need to. Ladybug and Chat Noir have been proven in the past to be self-sacrificing. All they need to do is believe that I am possessed. They will then cave, giving us what we wish.” Tomoe paused. “We just need to make sure they’re not suspicious.

“We just had a major attempt with Miss Fortune. We should do a few more basic akumas, just to get them back into false comfort,” Nathalie supplied Tomoe’s unspoken thoughts. The two women strategized, but one thing Tomoe had said snagged in Gabriel’s brain.

“You are certain Chat Noir and Ladybug will cave for your daughter. Do you know their identities?” Gabriel pressed.

“I am certain that they would cave for any citizen, although I do have my suspicions on Chat Noir and why he might cave for my daughter in particular.”

Hawkmoth leaned forward. “Tell me. It could be valuable to our plan.”

“No. You need my help and I need yours. I do not need to tell you Chat Noir’s identity.” Tomoe admitted that it took her longer to figure out Chat Noir. Though she had recognized his voice from a broadcast he had done with Ladybug as that of Adrien Agreste in the cartoon movie, she had thought that perhaps they had modified his voice for the film. Then she had met the boy in person and her suspicions were confirmed. Chat Noir being Hawkmoth’s son was quite the interesting predicament, one she was not willing to ruin for the young hero. If Gabriel couldn’t figure out his son was his own archenemy, that was his fault.

“We will meet later to discuss specifics once a few weeks have gone by and we are certain Chat Noir and Ladybug have no suspicions,” Tomoe said.

“I will see you out,” Nathalie offered. She led Tomoe out of the room, leaving Gabriel alone with his thoughts.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir, at long last your luck has run out. Get ready to say goodbye to your Miraculous.”

\-----------

It had only been a few days since her stint as Miss Fortune, but Marinette already felt a change in her life. Talking with Chat had helped and the lack of monk training _everyday_ was doing wonders to her life. Going to the movies with Alya and Kagami had proved to be a fun break for the girl. She had briefly worried that they would have new inside jokes she would be left out of, but they had all fit together wonderfully.

Today, Marinette found herself able to just enjoy her lunch without having to worry about planning ahead for training tonight. Who knows, she might even see if Alya wanted to get together after school today.

Marinette sat in the courtyard with a large group of her classmates. Adrien sat on her left with Kagami near him. Juleka, Rose, Sabrina, Mylene, Ivan, and Alix also crowded around. Nino and Alya, who often ate lunch with Marinette, were sitting together away from the group (having “couple time” as they had called it).

“I can’t believe the hero project is going to be due soon,” Kagami said. Marinette was happy to see Kagami had adjusted well to their class. She still remembered the awkward scavenger hunt and Kagami’s desire to make friends. It seemed like she had succeeded, despite having to sit next to Lila.

“Yeah. It was really fun to look at superheroes in a different way,” Rose cooed.

“And in having to work with a different person, I got to spend time with someone I wouldn’t have usually spent one-on-one time with,” Alix offered. “I don’t think I would’ve thought that Rose and I would get along so well alone together.” Alix shot a smile in Rose’s direction. Rose’s own smile deepened.

“I know I enjoyed spending time with Marinette,” Adrien said. “I hope that even when the project is over, we can continue spending time together, as long as I can convince my father of it.” Six pairs of eyes widened, expecting Marinette to blush and lose all coherent thought.

Marinette surprised them all by teasing Adrien. “Of course. You still need practice if you want to beat me at Mecha Strike.” She found herself smirking at the confused (and disappointed, in Kim’s case) facial expressions of her classmates.

\------------

A couple nights later, Ladybug met Chat Noir on the rooftops for patrol. He was pacing, his arms casually thrown over his baton. “Hey, bugaboo,” Chat greeted her with a grin. “I thought I _mite_ find you here.”

Ladybug groaned. “Ugh. Don’t _even_ start with me on that.”

“Does it _bug_ you?” Chat winked at her. He released his arms from his baton.

Ladybug shuddered at the reminder of yesterday’s akuma. “I felt like I had cockroaches crawling all over me for hours. I officially hate bug themed akumas.”

“You do realize that _you’re_ a bug themed superhero?” His brow furrowed.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I have to feel a connection to cockroaches!” Ladybug shuddered.

“Good to know.”

“Wait, why is that good to know?” she cried.

“It’s good to know that Paris’s protectress, the fearless Ladybug, is scared of cockroaches,” he smirked at her.

“I am not afraid of cockroaches! I’d just rather not have them crawling all over me.”

“Sure. Put on a brave face,” Chat pouted.

“I hate you,” she laughed. Chat smiled, happy in the knowledge that he could get that reaction out of her. He had missed being her friend these past few weeks and it was nice to tease her again.

Chat and Ladybug sighed. Chat was about to set off on his route when Ladybug stopped him. “Do you ever feel like we’re getting nowhere?” Ladybug bit her lip hesitantly.

“I- what- where is this coming from?” Chat asked.

Ladybug shrugged. “It just always feels the same. Hawkmoth akumatizes someone, we fight them, they lose. It’s been going on for years. And sometimes it seems like there will be a tipping point but then nothing changes.”

“Like with Miss Fortune? My lady, I’d never let Hawkmoth defeat you,” Chat says.

“I know, and I’d never let him defeat you,” Ladybug’s worried face softened. “It just gets to be so frustrating. We’ve got to win at some point- good triumphs evil and all- but it feels like we never will sometimes. I love being Ladybug, but I want to have a life where I don’t need to worry about Hawkmoth all the time.”

“Have you considered bringing other Miraculouses into play?” Chat suggested.

“I- it’s been a lot lately and it doesn’t seem fair to bring someone new and inexperienced in,” Ladybug said.

“Rena Rogue and Carapace were new and inexperienced when you brought them in and they proved to be great allies.”

“Until they- and all our allies- were revealed by Hawkmoth. We’ve been lucky that he hasn’t retaliated against their families. He still could which is why we can’t use them until he’s defeated.”

Chat steps closer to her and puts a hand on her shoulder. “They knew what they were signing up for. You gave them a choice. I think more people would be willing to help if you gave them the chance.”

“Thanks, Chat.” Ladybug sighed.

“Anytime, bugaboo,” Chat teased. Ladybug punched him lightly in the arm. Chat just laughed at her and took off across Paris, with an annoyed Ladybug chasing after him.

\------------

Kagami and Marinette walked home from school together. Kagami had managed to convince her mom that it was a nice day out and that her fencing instructor had suggested they stretch their legs when they could. Which wasn’t a total lie.

It wasn’t like Kagami didn’t want her mother’s approval. Of course, she did, but after becoming friends with Marinette, Alya, Adrien, and all her other classmates, she realized that her mother’s approval wasn’t the only thing that mattered in the world. Adrien, who was currently at one of his father’s photo shoots, still hadn’t grasped that concept. She didn’t know if he ever would.

Kagami was pulled out of her head by the familiar sound of an akuma alert. “Come on! Let’s get to your house,” Kagami yelled, above the noise. She reached to grab Marinette’s hand, but Marinette pulled back.

“Actually, I think I actually have to go- to go back to school!” Marinette said, excitedly.

“Back to school? Now?”

“Yeah. I forgot a very important notebook.” Marinette turned before Kagami could ask one of the many questions on her tongue. But just because they remained unspoken, didn’t meant they didn’t play in Kagami’s head. This was the second person who had made a mysterious disappearance when an akuma alert had been near. But Adrien and Marinette- they couldn’t be. Adrien was so soft-spoken and gentle, nothing like the flirty and bold Chat who Kagami had encountered as Ryuko. But Marinette… well… she did have the creativity and the pigtails and Ladybug had seemed jealous when Kagami was with Adrien.

Kagami watched as Marinette tripped over her own feet while running. Kagami laughed and shook her head. If Marinette was Ladybug, she certainly did a good job of hiding it.

\-------------

Ladybug arrived on the scene to find an akuma creating havoc outside a restaurant. “My son deserves nothing but perfection. I will scour all of Paris until I find the perfect date for him!” the akuma cried. Ladybug scanned the scene. Hadn’t Mylene told Marinette and her friends that she was going to be meeting Ivan’s family at this restaurant today? Ladybug’s eyes found Ivan tied up in a seat and Mylene cowering behind a bush. Oh. “Mylene Haprele is not right for him! I am Matchmaker and I will not stop until I find the perfect person for my son.” The akuma was Mme. Bruel.

Ladybug observed the akuma’s power. She was holding a phone in one hand. Ladybug watched as Matchmaker moved with superspeed and pressed the phone to different onlookers. Several people who were hit and dropped what they were doing and walk towards Ivan with a lovesick gaze. Others just vanished.

“Well, my lady, looks like love is in the air.”

“Haha,” Ladybug humored him with a sarcastic laugh. She turned back to the scene. “The akuma is in her phone. We just need to be careful that she doesn’t hit us with it.” Ladybug winced as a fourth person joined the possessed group forming around Ivan.

“You’ve got it,” Chat chirped. He and Ladybug dropped down to the ground from their spot on the roof.

“Over here,” Ladybug cried to Matchmaker. She dodged Matchmaker’s attempts to lunge at her, keeping Matchmaker’s eyes focused on her as Chat stuck up to her from behind.

Chat held up his hand ready to Cataclysm, when Matchmaker wheeled around, having sensed his presence.

“Chat!” Ladybug called, but it was too late. The girl facepalmed as her superhero partner went to drool over Ivan.

Ladybug tried to get closer to Ivan, but when Matchmaker saw her approaching. Matchmaker lunged towards her. Ladybug knew she couldn’t be hit with the phone. If she was put under Matchmaker’s spell, she would be powerless to stop Hawkmoth from taking her and Chat’s Miraculouses.

“Lucky charm!” Ladybug called, when she was far enough away from Matchmaker. A polka-dotted pincushion landed in her hands. She scanned the square, but saw nothing light up. She thought for a moment. There were plenty of pincushions in her room, next to the Miraculous box.

Ladybug found herself zipping into her bedroom. She opened the box, eyes drifting over the familiar Miraculouses. Carapace could protect her from blasts while they wormed their way through the crowd. Pegasus could transport them to the akuma. They were just two of the Miraculouses that couldn’t be used as long as Hawkmoth knew their identities.

Marinette eyed the ox Miraculous. Ivan Bruel was be there. He was tough and strong. He would be a good wielder. She was going to reach for it when her eyes caught on the mouse miraculous, one she had used it once before on herself. She thought of Mylene. She had looked nervous with the akuma, but Marinette had been nervous during the first akuma as well. She knew that Mylene was kind and thoughtful. Without a second thought, Marinette grabbed the mouse Miraculous and set back off to the fight.

Ladybug dropped back to the scene, careful to sneak along the side of the alley as to not be noticed. She came across Mylene, also hiding.

“Mylene, are you okay?” Ladybug asked the crying girl.

“I- I just wanted things to go well. Ivan had been so nice, but I was so scared and I acted shy and now he-” Mylene hiccuped.

Ladybug placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong with being shy or anxious,” she admitted. “But I know that you are so much more than that which is why I’ve brought you this.” Ladybug held out the small box and opened it to reveal the mouse necklace.

Mylene’s eyes flitted between Ladybug’s and the open box in her hand. “I- I-”

“Mylene Haprele, I know you are scared now, but that fear does not define you. Here is the Miraculous of the Mouse, which grants the power of multitude. You will use it for the greater good. Once the job is done, you will return the Miraculous to me. Can I trust you?”

Mylene’s worry disappeared and she smiled at Ladybug. “Definitely.” Mylene put the mouse miraculous on and said the famous words. “Mullo, get squeaky.”

Ladybug had to admit, it was fun getting to watch her friends transform. A blinding pink light engulfed Mylene. When she emerged, she was dressed in the gray outfit of the mouse miraculous. A pink jump rope wrapped around her waist and black and pink stripes ran up where seams would be on the suit. While Marinette’s hair had been in two buns, Mylene’s hair was held back by a lighter pink headband, the usual colorful parts of her hair now different shades of gray, black, and pink.

“I’m ready, Ladybug.” Mylene said.

“Perfect. What’s your superhero name?” Marinette had opted to use Multimouse, but she couldn’t assume that that would be the name Mylene would want to go by.

Mylene was quiet for a moment before straightening and putting her hands on her hips. “Murine.”

Ladybug showed Murine how she used her yo-yo, getting Murine used to using her jump rope as a way to swing through the city, and together they swing closer to observe Matchmaker.

“I’m going to use my lucky charm,” Ladybug tells to Murine. “We need to avoid getting hit by her phone.” Murine nodded besides her. “Lucky Charm!” Ladybug called. In her hands appeared a polka-dotted spinning top. Ladybug eyed her surroundings looking for the telltale polka-dots.

Her eyes caught on the railing of the outdoor dining area and on Murine. Ladybug nodded. “I need your help with this one,” she told Murine. “You’re going to need to be brave.”

Murine’s eyes lit up with a fire that reminded Ladybug why she chose Mylene. “To help you save Paris and Ivan, I can do anything. What do you need me to do?”

Ladybug held out the top to Mylene. “I need you to use your power and tie this around the railing over there. I need your clones to hold it tight while I lure Matchmaker over it like a tripping wire.”

Murine nodded. “Multitude!” she yelled. She jumped a few times on her jump rope before it engulged her, turning her into shrunken clones of herself. Ladybug knelt down to offer her the top. Ladybug watched from her spot as Murine looped the top around the railing, right under Matchmaker’s nose. Murine nodded to Ladybug as she pulled the string taut.

“Matchmaker! I bet I would be perfect for your son!” Ladybug taunted, returning to the battle.

Matchmaker whirled on her. She zeroed in on Ladybug and, as she did, she failed to notice the wire at her feet. Her phone flew out of her hand landing at Ladybug’s feet.

Ladybug reached down and grabbed the phone. Gripping it in two hands, she broke it in two, a small black butterfly emerging from the wreckage.

“Miraculous Ladybug!” Ladybug yelled, a wave of Ladybug’s washing over the crowd. Ladybug watched as the people flocked around Ivan, broke out of there spell.

Ladybug watched as Ivan ran towards his mother, who was on the ground. Of course, he wanted to be there for her. Wasn’t that what creatures did? Return back to the people they cared about? Ladybug’s eyes narrowed and caught on the black butterfly flitting into the sky. Perhaps akumas were no difference. It would take a little effort and perhaps some backup, but it just might work.

Ladybug snapped herself out of her daydream. Another time. “No more evildoing for you, little akuma!” she cooed, swinging her yo-yo up to capture the black butterfly. “Bye, bye, little butterfly.”

Ladybug smiled as Chat came over to her. "Pound it!" they said as they bumped fists.

“Sorry about that, my lady. It would appear I got _lovestruck_ ,” Chat apologized.

“You’re losing your touch, kitty,” she teased. Murine came to stand beside Ladybug, in her full form. Ladybug smiled at the girl and then at Chat. “Chat, this is Murine.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Chat took the girl’s hand in his and kissed it. If Ladybug was bothered by the gesture, she didn’t show it. Hadn’t he said he wouldn’t flirt with her? Yet, he had no qualms in flirting with Murine.

“Thank you,” Murine whispered. A beep signaled the sounds of hers and Ladybug’s Miraculouses.

“It’s time to go,” Ladybug said to Murine. “Bug out.”

She and Murine met in an alleyway. Murine’s transformation fell and she offered the necklace back to Ladybug. “Thank you,” Mylene chirped. Her smile faded and worry returned to her eyes. “Now I have to face Mme. Bruel.”

Ladybug placed a hand on Mylene’s shoulder. “If you can face an akuma, I know you can do this.”

“Thanks, Ladybug,” Mylene turned to leave.

“Just remember not to reveal your identity!” Ladybug called.

“I won’t!” Mylene promised.

Ladybug watched as Mylene rounded the corner before letting her own transformation fall.

“I’m proud of you, Marinette,” Tikki chirped. “You put aside your fears and trusted your friend.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Marinette smiled. “I’ll have to tell Chat! He’ll be happy to here.”

Tikki giggled besides Marinette.

“What?”

“It’s just that wanting to share your accomplishment with Chat, wanting him to recognize you… it sounds like you do love him.”

Marinette groaned as her kwami continued to giggle.

\-----------

“Hello, my lady,” Chat said, sitting on the edge of the roof.

“Hello, kitty,” Ladybug came to sit beside him. “I took your advice and brought in a new Miraculous wielder.”

“I know,” he laughed. “I met her.”

“Right,” Ladybug looked down. “I guess I was just excited.”

Chat lightly touched one of the arms by her side. “Hey. I wasn’t making fun of you. I’m proud of you. You trusted someone else to help.”

“I always trust you, you know,” Ladybug said.

“I know.”

“I’m proud of you too,” Ladybug said, smiling.

“Me?” Now it was Chat’s turn to draw back. “I got hit again. I spent the whole fight drooling over Ivan.”

“Kitty, you are the bravest person I know. You do everything with your whole heart and… I’m so glad you’re my partner.”

Chat smiled. It wasn’t often he got praise. “Awww. I think you’re purr-fect too.”

Ladybug laughed. “Again with the puns.”

“What? You don’t like them? You wound me, my lady,” Chat laughed.

“I never said that,” Ladybug muttered. Chat felt his heart catch and stopped laughing.

Ladybug coughed. “Anyway… I- I think I have an idea on how we could turn the tide against Hawkmoth.”

“Really? After all these years?” Chat was incredulous. Of course, if anyone could figure it out, it would be Ladybug, but they had never had the upper-hand before.

“Yeah. I’m still working things out, but if it works… we could finally defeat him,” Ladybug admitted.

“That would be… amazing.”

“We could really do it,” Ladybug leaned in closer to Chat. Automatically, he put his arm around her as she leaned against his shoulder. He rubbed a hand up and down her arm, soaking up her warmth.

His eyes widened at the realization of what he was doing. Hadn’t he told himself he would move on? That he had gotten hurt enough by her? Hell, hadn’t he even told her he couldn’t flirt with her anymore? There was a principle. Was it fair now that she was leaning into his touch, making him think she might actually have feelings? Unless, of course, she did have feelings for him as she had partially admitted after her stint at Miss Fortune.

But then there was Marinette. He knew he hadn’t been in love with Kagami. It was a mistake to lead her on. But Marinette…

He knew that he should just push Ladybug away and tell her that they could be close again once some time had passed. And yet... he couldn’t find the strength to push her away. What was he doing?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Murine” comes for the scientific name of house rats and mice (Murinae) and the word meaning of or relating to mice (murine)  
> Please comment thoughts/feelings/whatever as I love reading them. Thanks for reading!


	12. Preparations and Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat questions his feelings for Ladybug and Marinette. Lila deals with a new obstacle to power. Chat and Ladybug discuss how they will take down Hawkmoth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where this story is going. I have an ending planned, but seven different paths to get there with varying degrees of heartbreak. There is one ending that is just plain happy, but the best happy endings are happy endings that are born from sadness and heartbreak. “Just plain happy” is boring. I’m trying to figure out which makes the most sense with characters, but we’ll see.

Adrien loved the freedom that came with Chat Noir, the ability to just run around Paris whenever he wanted to. He took advantage of that now, trying to clear his mind of the two girls he cared about.

Without meaning to, Chat had found himself near the Dupain-Cheng bakery. He remembered coming here after Ladybug turned him down. Marinette had shown him such kindness. He contemplated his options. He could leave now and no one would ever know he was here or he could go talk to his friend about his predicament. It complicated things that Marinette was one of the girls with whom is heart was divided between, but she had to be better at giving advice than Plagg.

Chat dropped onto Marinette’s roof after his patrol. He moved over to the skylight and looked down into her room. There was Marinette, beautiful as always, sketching into her notebook.

Before he could second-guess himself, he knocked on the skylight. Marinette looked up, a smile on her face.

“Hello, Chat,” she said. She was beaming and he couldn’t help, but smile back. She climbed up to the roof, gesturing for him to sit beside her on the patio chair. “What can I do for Paris’s defender?”

“I- I need some advice and I didn’t know who else to go to.”

“I’m so flattered,” Marinette said dramatically. He liked that she could tease him like this. She so rarely opened up to him as Adrien and it was so nice when she did. “Chat Noir, seeking advice from an ordinary baker?”

“You’re hardly ordinary, princess,” he laughed. He got serious again. “I have more girl problems.”

“Oh?”

“I thought I was over Ladybug, I even had a girlfriend, but lately I’ve been feeling my heart lean towards her again. And I think she might feel the same way.”

“Really?” Marinette leaned forward. Chat couldn’t quite make out the expression on her face. Was it excitement? Over him being with Ladybug? Was Marinette secretly a LadyNoir shipper? He didn’t think she was one, but then again he also hadn’t expected her to be into him. The girl had hidden depths.

“Yeah. And I’d love to tell her how I feel…”

“But?”

“But I’ve declared my feelings to her before and she’s just turned me down. What if I’m misreading this all?” Chat admitted.

Marinette’s expression turned dark and guilty. “I- maybe this time would be different. You can’t really know until you try and then… if she turns her down this one last time, at least you’ll know. Are you in love with her?”

Chat shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know that I love being beside her. I think about her all the time, all the things we could laugh about or talk about.”

“But… you don’t know her identity?”

“Yeah, but I know _her_. She’s brave and strong and kind. She has this confidence about her. She’d rather sacrifice herself than see anyone else get hurt. And I’d rather sacrifice myself than see her get hurt. She always puts our duty first, so maybe she’d say no, but if she said yes, and I’d get a chance to take her on dates and have a life with her, I’d be so happy. And who knows, maybe someday we wouldn’t need to hide our identities.”

Marinette stared at him with wide eyes. “I think you should tell her that.”

“Really?” Chat smiled, but that smile quickly faded. “But there is one more thing stopping me. I think I might be developing feelings for someone else.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. And I don’t know if it would be fair to either girl to lie to them.”

“What about this other girl? Do you know if she likes you?”

“I’d like her to like me, but… things have been complicated between us. She liked me at one point, but I think I might’ve ruined it.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Chat scoffed at that, for reasons Marinette couldn’t figure out. She continued speaking. “I think that you definitely have a difficult choice to make, but dating is about more than love. It’s about choice and patience. Even if your heart is split in two, it’s your choice that makes the difference. You have to choose who you want to be patient with and put the work in to further your relationship.”

“Thanks, Marinette,” Chat said. She was so kind and helpful. There was a reason they called her their everyday Ladybug.

“And if things don’t work out with Ladybug, you can always ask the other girl out,” Marinette shrugged, a teasing smile coming to her face.

“Good point,” Chat laughed. “Thanks for letting me vent to you, Marinette.”

“Anytime,” the girl replied. “It’s what friends do.”

Chat winced at the word he had used so many times before.

\-----------

“Am I a horrible person?” Marinette asked her kwami, who had snuggled up on the cat pillow by her head. “Chat thinks I’m a good person for giving him advice, but I just pushed him towards _myself_. What if the other girl really liked him? What if I ruined his chance of happiness, after turning him down so many times?” Marinette’s mind spiraled with all the what-ifs and implications of what she had told Chat.

Tikki pondered the situation. Knowing Chat’s identity, she had an idea of who the other girl he liked could be, but she couldn’t tell Marinette _that._ Not without risking giving up too much information. “I’ve been around for centuries, Marinette. This wouldn’t be the first time a Ladybug has had trouble with mixed identities. Maybe what you did was a little selfish, but I don’t think you’re a horrible person. And I think you did give him good advice underneath it all, that he can use any other time. And would you still support Chat if he chose to go for the other girl?”

“Of course. I want to be happy, but I also want him to be happy. It would hurt, but I would do my best to support him with another girl if that made him happy.”

“I have no doubt you’ll be the one making him happy,” Tikki giggled, knowing the double meaning of her reassuring words.

“Is it stupid to entertain the idea of dating him while Hawkmoth is still at large?” Marinette asked.

“If your plan works, he might not be for much longer. It might take some balancing on your part, but I’ve seen Ladybugs deal with dating and marriage. Besides, you’re the guardian now. I can’t tell you what to do, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt for you to share your identities.”

“Thanks, Tikki.” Marinette had truly lucked out in the kwami department.

\-----------

Lila had thought she was an expert at playing the game. Sure, Gabriel getting rid of her had been a setback, but she still had the rest of the class under her nose and, as long as she played things safe with Marinette, she had Adrien.

If she had given any thought to how she would get caught, she would have assumed it would have been by a pesky akuma or Ladybug. She was so careful about mail and phone calls and well-timed lies, she never would have thought that her own _mother,_ who never even had time for her, would be the one to send things crumbling to the ground.

Her mother had decided that she wanted to surprise Lila on a birthday trip, to spend some “quality time together” and remind her that, even though she was barely ever around, she loved Lila. To prepare for this, she had called the school behind Lila’s back to notify them about any future absences. It was innocent enough, if the principal hadn’t mentioned that Lila could function the same way she had when she was visiting Prince Ali. Confused, Mrs. Rossi had pressed the principal for more details and had learned the school had never been closed. All this led to Lila sitting across the table across from her mother.

“Lila, why did you do this?” her mother asked, trying to understand her daughter sitting across from her.

Lila put on her best fake tears- don’t start bawling at first, just let it be a small trickle- and spoke. “I- I’m s- so sorry, Mom. I just wanted attention. And the other kids at school, they can be so mean.” She was certain that it would work on her kind-hearted mother.

“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.” Ah, yes, her mother felt pity for her. “I’m sorry I can’t be around more, but I have an idea. I’ve called the boarding school I went to when I was a teenager and they have room for her.”

Lila’s eyes widened. “B- boarding school??” she stammered, keeping her façade despite her surprise.

“Yes. The headmistress is an old school mate of mine and I know she’ll look out for you. It’s in Switzerland and you won’t have to compete with models and designers for popularity. Most people are like you, and have diplomat parents who travel a lot. Everyone is kind and down-to-earth and you’ll love it there.”

“But… my school isn’t so bad,” Lila got out

“Lila, that school is turning you into a liar. This will be a much better influence and this way you won’t be as lonely. I’ve talked to them and you can start next week.”

Lila knew it would be pointless to push this now. “Thank you,” she said. She went over to hug her mother, grimacing when her face was out of her mother’s view.

“I love you very much,” her mother said. “This is for the best.”

“I know,” Lila said. She shut her bedroom door and sat on her bed. She liked being in Paris, near Adrien. He was the ticket to her fame. She wouldn’t get that in some-middle-of-nowhere-school in Switzerland.

She could admit that her connection with Adrien was dwindling after being dumped by Gabriel. She considered her options. She could hurt Marinette again in an attempt to gain more leverage against Adrien. She had nothing left to lose anyway. She could even convince him to be her boyfriend. Maybe even having a boyfriend, would convince her mother that her school was a good place and she should stay in Paris. That plan relied on a lot of “ifs” though. If she had more time she could work it out, but she didn’t.

She thought of another creature who looked like Adrien. He had offered her power. Sure it was at a price, but wasn’t that what all her lies and manipulations were for? If she helped him, he would bring Paris to the ground, but she would be on top. She could certainly play _that_ situation to her advantage. 

\-------------

Lila went to the same coffee shop she had met Felix in before. Maybe a remanence of his powers he retained when the portal sealed was foresight or telepathy, but he was there waiting for her.

“Hello, Ms. Rossi,” Felix said, as Lila sat down across from him. “Have you considered my proposition?”

“I have. I want in,” Lila sneered.

Felix returned the cold smile. “I knew you would. Let’s go somewhere more private.”

\-------------

It was rare for Chloe to go to a coffee shop. She had plenty of people who could make coffee for her if she wanted. However, when she was in her limo she had seen a strangely dressed Adrien and Lila at a café. Chloe had deduced that Lila was a liar from a certain Ladybug incident. She knew that Adrien hated liars so why would Adrien be sitting with her?

Chloe had only caught glimpses of their conversation, but from what she had heard she was intrigued. She decided to continue her investigations.

She followed Lila to the park bench, keeping enough distance not to be noticed. With hair as horrifying as hers, she wasn’t hard to find.

Chloe hid behind a tree, next to the bench Lila had settled on. She watched as a car pulled up behind the bench. Chloe’s heart was pounding, nervous at what she would uncover.

The window rolled down and there was Adrien.  
“Felix,” Lila said. Her voice held not emotion.

Chloe’s eyes widened and she worked to stifle a gasp. It all made sense. It wasn’t Adrien, but his cold cousin. Chloe was glad she had decided to follow him.

“Lila,” Felix replied, his tone matching Lila’s.

“Do you have a plan?” Lila asked.

“I do. First, I need the other Graham de Vanily ring. Unless I’m mistaken, it would be worn by one Emilie Agreste.”

“Well, you have a problem. Emilie Agreste is gone,” Lila said, her voice falling flat.

“Is she? The manor has many mysteries. My powers may be only a sliver of what they could be, but I felt Emilie’s presence in the manor. She is there, no doubt. I need to sneak in and steal that ring.” Chloe’s eyes widened. Emilie Agreste was alive? That woman had always been so kind to Chloe as a child. Her disappearance broke Adrien. If she wasn’t gone, then what did that mean? Did Adrien know?

“I can help with that. You look an awful lot like Adrien which will convince security AND I happen to know one or two things about the Agrestes’ schedules.”

“Then, we lay a trap for Ladybug and Chat Noir?”

“Why do you want _them_?” Lila scowled. Chloe hrrmph-ed, knowing how much Lila disliked the two superheroes.

“They are destruction and creation, the ultimate dual forces in the universe. Other people can open and close the portal at its origin point for a few minutes at hand. Ladybug and Chat Noir could open a rift in the world anywhere, for however long it takes.”

“And how would you get them? They’re not exactly easy to catch, just ask Hawkmoth.”

“All in good time, Ms. Rossi,” Felix sneered. “Now, can you get me in to the mansion?”

“The best time to sneak in would be when Gabriel and his assistant aren’t around. They usually seem to disappear when there is an akuma happening. Adrien tends to disappear then too.”

Chloe listened in as Lila and Felix went over a few final details. Her head swam with all the information being thrown at her. Hearing Felix say something about dominating Paris was the final straw.

Adrien had said that it would take more than just a few nice compliments and small actions to win her classmates back. But what if she took a big action?

\------------

The following night at patrol, Chat and Ladybug plan before heading out.

“I don’t know when the next attack will be, but I think we need to try to act then, before Hawkmoth makes a bigger move. The most important thing to do is to subdue the akuma without using our powers. I was thinking of ways to do that and I stumbled upon the pig Miraculous. It grants the power of connection. I could use the power of emotion to calm the akuma down enough to inflict minimum damage on the public while we destroy the object. We wouldn’t be able to use either of our powers.”

“And then we follow the akuma and defeat Hawkmoth?” Chat flashed her a grin.

“And then we defeat Hawkmoth,” confirmed and smiled at him.

“How do you suspect we do this without getting caught?” Chat asked.

“I talked to my kwami. The akumas fly based on emotion rather than sight. They aren’t spies for Hawkmoth, until they akumatize a victim and use their set of eyes.”

“Will you use the pig miraculous yourself?” Chat asked.

“I will. I can handle using multiple Miraculouses,” Ladybug shrugged.

“I know. You’re the strongest person I know.” Chat took her hand in his and kissed it. Ladybug’s heart flattered at the intimate gesture, one she hadn’t paid much attention to before. But now…

“Chat…” Ladybug started.

Chat immediately straightened and turned from her. “I’m sorry, my lady. I thought I felt something change in these past few weeks. I’m sorry if I misinterpreted things.”

Seeing him hunched in on himself, Ladybug felt a new wave of heartbreak for her kitty, who was always so loyal despite how many times she turned him down. She reached for his wrist, turning him to face her. “You didn’t,” she admitted. A wave of relief washed over his face and she smiled. “There’s a lot we need to talk about, but right now we need to focus on defeating Hawkmoth. Then we can talk about this.”

“You admit that there is a ‘this’?” Chat looked so hopeful. Ladybug simply nodded.

Chat took her hands in his. “I can stay focused on more than you for a few more days. We have the rest of our lives.”

Ladybug smiled at that. It seemed so natural, imagining a future with her partner. There was a lot she still had to learn about him, but she trusted him with her whole heart.  
“That sounds purr-fect,” she teased.

“My lady, did you make a pun?” Chat drew his hand up to his chest in mock surprise.

“ _Cat_ I did,” she teased.

“And all this time, you’ve been _cat-ising_ me.”

“It’s not my fault you have horrible timing.” She laughed and gave him a light push on his shoulder.

“I a-paw-logize.” Despite his flirts, he was sweet and caring and there was no one else she’d want to be with. She only wished it hadn’t taken her so long to realize it.

“Goodnight, Chaton,” she said, walking to the edge of the balcony and getting her yo-yo ready. “I look forward to carrying out this conversation later.”

“Me too.” Chat smiled at her as she zipped out of sight. He couldn’t stop the feelings he felt for Marinette, but he knew how much Ladybug meant to him. This was him choosing _her_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like in many of these fanfics, Lila is taken down by an akuma. I love that, but considering how she wants fame and power, I like the idea of her being taken down in a subtle way. Like she’s not even deserving of a Marinette confrontation or final akuma showdown.
> 
> Please leave comments if you have the time. I love reading them!


	13. The Beginning of the End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug enacts the plan to reach Hawkmoth's lair. However, within it, she and Chat Noir find foes both old and new, putting Chat Noir in a precarious position.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it took me so long to update this. School got really hectic. This probably won’t be my best writing, but I started this so I have to finish this.  
> For those of you who have subscribed and are picking up with this chapter, thank you for continuing to read, but a brief FYI, I did revise past chapters. I made the rules surrounding portals/rifts and part of the Graham de Vanilys’ history clearer (and less contradictory). I also adjusted some dialogue that sounded too OOC and rearranged one or two scenes.

The next akuma attack came two days later. Chat arrived to find Ladybug- Ladypig, as he noted the use of the pig miraculous- waiting for him on the outskirts of the battle. She was costumed in her usual red and black spots, but the use of the pig Miraculous added pink stripes along her sides. Her hair was down, covering her human ears to accent the pig ears on top of her head, not unlike his own cat ears.

Chat observed the akuma. Mr. Pigeon again. While the pigeons might be causing problems with cars and traffic, Chat noted that there definitely could have been more destructive akumas. He shuddered remembering all the akumas that took his and his friends' lives. The luck of the ladybug was on their side today.

“Are you ready, My Lady?” Chat asked.

“I am,” she nodded. “I can’t believe that this is happening.”

“I know. It’s claw-some.”

Ladypig rolled her eyes, but Chat could see that she was smiling. She got ready to run into the fight when Chat put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

“I just want you to know that whatever happens today. I’m really glad you’re my partner. There’s no one I would’ve rather had my side.”

Ladypig gave him a soft and gentle smile. “I agree. This hasn’t always been easy, but I’m glad I’ve had you by my side. Now let’s do this.”

The two heroes ran into the fight. The square was covered in pigeons, making it hard to advance towards the villain.

“Calm!” Ladypig yelled. She focused her power of emotion-influencing on Mr. Pigeon. The pigeons slowly begin to drop to fly off, no longer interested in causing mayhem for pedestrians.

Ladypig and Chat walk closer to Mr. Pigeon. He was sitting on the ground then, not making an effort to attack them, per the effects of the pig miraculous. Chat took the bird whistle from his hand and snapped it. The black butterfly flew from the whistle.

Ladypig swung her yo-yo up in the air to purify the akuma. The last thing they needed was an unpurified akuma on the loose and, if she did the math right, the akuma would still run back to Hawkmoth, purified or not.

“Bye, bye, little butterfly,” Ladypig cooed, looking at the butterfly flitted up into the sky. She turned to Chat who nodded at her. They took off after the small creature across the Parisian skyline.

\---------------

Chat Noir kept his focus on the butterfly and his lady as they ran across Paris to find Hawkmoth. If the butterfly flew suspiciously close to the Agreste Mansion, Chat Noir was operating on too much adrenaline to notice.

Chat and Ladypig watched as the butterfly phased through the street. The two heroes looked at each other, unsure about how to proceed.

“I could cataclysm the street?” Chat offered.

“Then you’d only have five minutes left before you’d transform. The same if I were to use my lucky charm,” Ladypig scanned their surroundings, looking for a way out of their predicament. Her eyes landed on Chat and she stared with him with such an intensity that he found himself blushing.

“Could you use your staff to break the ground?”

“I could try. I’d need a lot of force. Would your Miraculous Ladybugs be able to repair any of the damage it caused?”

“They should. Remember Timebreaker? Even though Alix’s watch wasn’t broken as part of the actual fight, it was still repaired. Granted it was a Miraculous in disguise, but I think we just have to hope in this case.”

Chat nodded at her. He knew he had to focus, but he couldn’t help but spend a moment marveling at Ladybug’s genius. It wasn’t that he wasn’t smart- he was a star student- but Ladybug used her brains in a different way. He loved watching her put together elaborate plans, creating something out of nothing. For a brief moment, it reminded him of another girl in his life.

Chat snapped himself out of his thoughts and brought his attention to the present. He held his baton up in the air, letting it elongate to a length he could work with.

“Stand back,” he told Ladybug. He bent his knees and jumped as high as he could, switching in midair to have both his hands grip the baton as he slammed himself and the baton to the ground. A crack formed on the pavement. He repeated this action a few more times, each time widening the crack in the ground. He noticed a slight crowd beginning to form, but opted to ignore it. What he couldn’t ignore was the way that Ladybug seemed to be growing more anxious by the second.

He paused and stood up. He noticed that her transformation using the pig Miraculous had worn off, leaving her in just her classic spots. He offered his arm to Ladybug. “My lady, may I have the honor of your company on this fine occasion.”

Ladybug rolled her eyes but nodded. He smiled as she wrapped an arm around his waist, the other holding her yo-yo. Sure, his jokes might seem ridiculous, but they did the trick in easing the tension. Both heroes needed some light to fight the darkness, after all.

Chat jumped them both into the air. That time, when they slammed back down to the ground, they broke through the pavement. Then they were falling down.

\-----------------

Ladybug marveled at where they were standing. The ceilings in this new room were high. Lanterns flickered around them. She and Chat had landed on a catwalk that was suspended over water that gently lapped the sides of the cavern. If it wasn’t for the figure at the end of the catwalk, she might venture to call this place peaceful.

He had been facing away from the two heroes before, but as he turned his face to theirs, Ladybug had no doubt where they were. Standing across from them was their enemy; they were in Hawkmoth’s lair. Here and now, they would end things, one way or another.

\----------------

Nathalie Sancouer had been doing paperwork for Gabriel Agreste when she heard a crash. In an instant, she was transformed into Mayura and running down to the lair.

Mayura took in the scene before her. Hawkmoth, who always tried so hard to conceal his emotions, wore an expression of surprise, eyes bulging out of his head. Ladybug was spinning her yo-yo, carrying with her the poise of a girl who knew she would come out on top. Chat stood beside her, in a similarly confident stance, slowly advancing on Hawkmoth with her. It would be easy for Mayura to run out and use a sentimonster, but instead, she chose to stay hidden in the darkness of the alcove. If there was one thing she had learned after years of being an employee at a fashion empire, it was that you should never put all your cards on the table. The same went for supervillainy.

Mayura watched as Chat Noir and Ladybug advanced on Hawkmoth.

“It’s over, Hawkmoth,” Ladybug said, fire in her voice. She was spinning her yo-yo, ready to attack when the moment came.

Hawkmoth was backed up into his wife’s chamber, which was still closed. He raised up his staff to protect himself, but Ladybug whipped her yo-yo to latch around it. Pulling on the yo-yo string caused the staff to swing back into Chat Noir’s outstretched hand.

“Cataclysm,” he said. Then the staff was gone.

Mayura sensed _fear_ from Hawkmoth: fear of losing his wife, fear of not succeeding when he was so close, fear of being unmasked and losing the fashion empire he had worked so hard to create. That was the emotion she had needed to channel.

The two superheroes advanced on Hawkmoth. Mayura could just make out Ladybug’s voice telling Hawkmoth that no one needed to get hurt if he just gave her his Miraculous.

Mayrua called on her powers. Chat Noir’s Miraculous already started the countdown. In only a few minutes, he wouldn’t be a threat. _Ladybug_ , on the other hand, would be and needed to be taken out of the picture.

Mayura murmured “bring my transformation to life” as she pulled out both a feather from her and a pen she had grabbed from her desk. Hidden in the shadows, she shifter her hands as a dark moving mass appeared in front of her. She carefully crafted it, shaping it into a creature whose goal would be to protect Hawkmoth by stopping Ladybug.

A powerful, purple elk sprang at the steadily advancing Ladybug and Chat Noir with a grunt. The two heroes spun around in tandem, their surprise visible in their widened eyes and opened mouths.

Ladybug was the first to snap out of her stupor. “Chat!” the girl screamed, launching herself at the male superhero. Ladybug managed to push Chat safely to lie on the ground.

Ladybug’s luck did not extend to herself. The sentimonster plowed into Ladybug’s body, crouched on all fours over her partner. Ladybug’s body flew back, her head hitting the metal railing and falling limp on the ground. Mayura couldn’t be certain, but she was pretty sure the girl was unconscious.

“No!” Chat Noir screamed, from his position on the ground. The pure anguish in his voice made Mayura falter. She had known that would be his result. In all her observations of Ladybug and Chat Noir, she realized that whether the heroes were romantically involved or not, they would do anything for each other. She just wondered if Hawkmoth would do the same for her. It didn’t matter though; she would do anything for him.

The sentimonster was still poised over Ladybug, watching should she become a threat again. Mayura watched as Chat pushed himself up off the ground, a look of pure anger on his face. Despite the telltale beep of his Miraculous, he pushed himself to a standing position. Extending his staff, he charged at the sentimonster. The sentimonster whirled on him, antlers colliding with his staff. He gritted his teeth with the effort of holding back the powerful creature. In a swift move, he shrunk his staff, allowing him to spin out of the gridlock and underneath the elk’s head. He ran to Ladybug’s fallen form.

Before he could reach the girl, the elk spun on him, knocking him farther down the ramp, closer to Hawkmoth, but farther from Ladybug. Chat once again extended his staff, charging the creature that poised itself over Ladybug. Mayura marveled at the sight: Hawkmoth was more vulnerable than ever and yet Chat was focused on protecting the girl. Watching it, she recalled Hawkmoth leaving a battle early to tend to her. Looking at her surroundings, at the closed chamber that was Emilie’s home, she felt a pang. Hawkmoth might care for her, but it would never compare to the all-encompassing love he always had for Emilie from the very first moment he saw her in that coffee shop.

The elk spun again, once again trapping Chat’s baton in a gridlock, shielding Ladybug from him. Another beep echoed through the cavern and Mayura caught Chat looking at the skylight, contemplating his ability to fight past the fast-moving elk and to escape with Ladybug before his time ran out.

A deep laugh interrupted any thoughts of his. Hawkmoth straightened at his spot on the dais, realizing what Chat realized: he couldn’t save Ladybug. Mayura jumped out of the shadows, leaping over Chat to land beside Hawkmoth, noticing the gleam in his eyes. “It looks like it’s 2 against one,” Hawkmoth sneered. There was a beeping from Chat Noir’s direction. “And it looks like you are running out of time. Come on Chat Noir, we all know you’d do anything for your little Ladybug.” Hawkmoth taunted.

“Relinquish your Miraculi, Chat Noir, and no one has to get hurt,” Mayura said, mocking Ladybug’s sentiments from mere moments before.

“Someone will,” he said. His voice was sharp through his gritted teeth as he struggled against the elk. Mayura had to admit that the boy had tenacity. “Whatever wish you want to make, there are always consequences.”  
“The way I see it, you are in a very precarious position,” Hawkmoth started. “The sentimonster will not let you pass and you know better than to leave your lady alone with your enemy. You can either give us your Miraculi and I will let you and Ladybug out of here safely… or I just have to wait a few more minutes and your powers will be gone while Mayura’s will not be.”

Chat sucked in a breath, letting the fight leave him. When he released his staff that time, the sentimonster no longer viewed him as a threat. Still, it continued to stand over Ladybug.

Chat glanced down at Ladybug, no doubt wondering what she’d do. He slowly turned to face the two villains, speaking at last. “What are you going to do with them?”

“Revive my wife,” Hawkmoth replied. He stepped back to reveal Emilie’s chamber. He pressed a button and Emilie was on full display.

Chat gasped. “Mom.”

A look equal parts shock and recognition passed over Hawkmoth’s face. “Adrien?”

Mayura’s eyes widened as she glanced between Hawkmoth and Chat Noir. It was true that they had once suspected that Adrien was Chat Noir, but they had ruled that it was impossible. But looking at the hero now, she could see the resemblances in the way that Adrien held himself on the few occasions that he was ever truly mad. It was as clear as day.

“How could you?” Chat Noir- _Adrien_ \- cried.

“You see, my reasons were unselfish. I only wanted to reunite you with your mother. To make us a family again.”

“We could’ve been a family if you had paid attention to me!” Chat cried. Any other time, Mayura knew these emotions would entice Hawkmoth to akumatize him, but not this time. “Did you ever think to ask me what I wanted? What about the consequences?”

“Consequences are small to pay when it comes to love. You know this, Adrien. I’ve seen it in you, you’re just like me: you’ll do anything for the people you love.”

“I’m nothing like you!” Chat screamed.

“You can deny it, but even now I can see it on your face. You know the truth. You will be reunited with your mother. You can make sure no harm comes to the girl you love from Mayura’s hand. We will be together and happy. Just give me you and the girl’s Miraculi.”

Chat opened his mouth to speak when there was a commotion in the back of the room, near the elevator.

“How convenient,” a voice drawled. “Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Hawkmoth all in the same room. Here I was expecting to just get the Graham de Vanilly ring from dear Emilie, but it appears that I might be able to kill many birds with one stone.”

“Felix?” Chat gasped. Indeed, it was Felix, Adrien’s cousin, with Lila Rossi… and “Chloe?!” Chat’s exclamation was pierced with confusion and hurt.

Mayura’s brow creased. A guard could easily have let Felix in thinking it was Adrien, knowing that Chloe and Lila had previous connections to Adrien, but that wouldn’t explain how they had gotten down here.

“Wrong,” Felix drawled. “Try again.”

“The ritual… Amelie had said she wasn’t sure… I didn’t see it before…” Hawkmoth gasped. “That isn’t Felix.”

“Too little, too late,” Felix drawled.

“Mayura,” Hawkmoth said. It was enough to know what he wanted. She might not understand what Gabriel knew about Felix, but she knew when her boss was scared. She turned the sentimonster’s attention to the new threat, Felix. It might not prevent him from doing whatever Hawkmoth was scared he was capable of, but it would be enough time to allow Adrien to escape.

“Take Ladybug and go,” Mayura heard Hawkmoth say to his son.

“But I- I don’t understand,” Chat stuttered.

“There’s no time to explain. Please, go now.”

Mayura gave credit to him that he didn’t hesitate. As Felix managed to bat the amok way, Chat disappeared with Ladybug through the hole in the ceiling.

“You let them escape,” Felix mused. “Interesting. But no matter. They will come back. And until then, even without the rift opened, being so near the site of its last opening grants me some of my powers. Hawkmoth, this shall be interesting.”

\----------------------

Tomoe cursed. She had heard it all on the news. Ladybug and Chat Noir had managed to find Hawkmoth. The news wasn’t saying as much- just commenting on the way Chat Noir had used his pole to destroy a piece of the street near the Agreste mansion and that more would follow- but she knew the truth.

“All my hard work for nothing,” Tomoe cursed. “If Ladybug had just stayed oblivious for a few more days, then…”

“What, Mother?” Tomoe had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard her daughter come in. “What did you do?” There was venom in her voice.

Of course, Tomoe would not let her _daughter_ of all people shake her. “Kagami, that is no way you talk to your superiors.”

“It is when they’re hiding something! You were going to do something to Ladybug, weren’t you?” Kagami seethed.

Tomoe shot back at her daughter, her voice equally as venomous. “I was going to do something for _you_. I had planned to make you the new Ladybug.”

“You _what_?” Kagami gasped.

“Hawkmoth would defeat Ladybug and Chat Noir and then you would get to be the new Ladybug.”

“Why would you think I would want that?”

“You are my daughter. You want power and glory and greatness and to fulfill our family legacy.”

“Not when it comes at the price of my friends’ safety!” Kagami shouted.

“They wouldn’t have been hurt.” Tomoe smiled. “In fact, I think one of your friends… Adrien, is it not?... would be very glad to have you as Ladybug. Might even want to profess his love to you.”

“If you think that I would _help a superterrorist_ to get glory and a _boy_ you don’t know me at all.” Kagami stormed off.

\--------------------

It had been easy for Felix to subdue both Mayura and Hawkmoth. All he had to do was threaten his host’s Aunt Emilie… and Hawkmoth had gladly given up his broach and the activation words. Sure, Ladybug and Chat Noir had vanished, but he had no doubt that they’d be back. When they did reappear, he had the perfect leverage if his time on the Ladyblog gave him any indication of their personalities.

Felix pinned the moth Miraculous to his collar. “Nooroo, dark wings rise!” he cried.

In an instant, the purple glow washed over him. Power… it was power unlike he had felt in so long. And when he used Chat Noir and Ladybug to open that portal… the power would be his and his brothers’ forever.

He noticed Chloe crossing her arms at her spot at the front of the cavern where she was guarding the ex-Hawkmoth and Mayura. She rolled her eyes at his transformation, causing him to scowl. Chloe would never have been his first choice for an evil henchman (she _annoyed_ him too much), but he wasn’t given much of a choice. She had given him an ultimatum: if she didn’t get to help him take over Paris, she would go to Ladybug on him. She admitted that she wanted power and thought that the dark side offered more. He figured that he could dispose of her after this all was over. If she disappeared now, the mayor would do anything to find her and Felix’s plan could be over before it began.

He turned his attention to the other girl beside him. “Lila Rossi,” he said. He could see a purple aura appear in front of his eyes. A black butterfly appeared from his hand and flew into the Lila's bracelet. “So much anger, so much greed, so much jealousy in such a young girl. My name is Gypsy Moth. I name you Controller. With a single touch, people will do your bidding.”

A wave of purple and black bubbles enveloped Lila's body. Her costume had form-fitting black pants, black combat boots, and a black jacket, but her shirt was the same red and black pattern as Ladybug. A yo-yo was attached to her hip and her hair fell in a long braid. Her costume was essentially a mix of Chat Noir’s and Ladybug’s, the heroes she would soon bring to their knees.

“Pretentious costume much?” Chloe scoffed from the front of the atrium. Gypsy Moth fought the urge to scream at her. The costume his akuma wore was still better than half of the ones designed by a world-famous fashion designer.

Gypsy Moth gritted his teeth and spoke to the akumatized Lila Rossi instead. “You know what to do, Controller.”

Controller walked slowly towards Gabriel, who had been tied up to one of the railings at the front of the cavern. He struggled against the bindings but was unable to free himself. Controller ran a finger-tip along the back of Gabriel’s hand. It was a soft touch, but it was enough. Gabriel’s eyes went white.

“Gabriel Agreste,” Controller mused. “You thought that I was nothing. But you were very mistaken.”

\-------------------

Chat Noir had managed to get himself and an unconscious Ladybug to a secluded rooftop before he detransformed. There was so much to process but his top priorities were getting Plagg refueled and Ladybug healed.

When he had laid her on the rooftop, he had been careful not to shift her body in any way that would disrupt her airways. He checked her pulse. It was slower than usual but steady.

“Adrien, are you okay?” Plagg asked. Adrien gawked at the kwami. He must seem really bad if Plagg wasn’t even trying to annoy him.

“I don’t know. I- I can’t even think about that right now” Adrien whispered. He let out a shaky breath. “What are we going to do about Ladybug?” If it was one of his friends from school, he would’ve taken them to a hospital, but that wasn’t exactly an option for Ladybug’s state. In fact, he had been so caught up in everything else, he wasn’t even sure where she had been hit to leave her in as she was now. He did remember from a first aid presentation in school that you were never supposed to leave an unconscious person alone and that a blow to the head would be a much worse recovery than a blow to the chest.

Plagg drew him out of his panicked thoughts. “I’ve seen this before, in other Ladybugs. Her head must’ve taken a lot of damage. Tikki is using her power to heal her, but to do this, Ladybug is in a magically induced coma, preserving her energy. She will be okay, but it’s going to take time. The grimoire has information on to speed this process up, but we don’t have it.”

“A true love’s kiss won’t fix this?” Adrien tried to joke.

“Not this time, kid.” Adrien felt himself deflate. He knew it was a longshot and more of a joke than a solution, but he still hoped Plagg could have told him otherwise.

“So, we’re stuck,” Adrien said. “Plagg, my father seemed _scared_ of Felix. Whatever is going on… it’s bad. We need to get back there and soon.”

“I can help,” a voice said. Adrien turned his eyes wide. He had been so certain that this rooftop was out of the way. And with the voice coming from behind him when the roof access door in front of him… whoever it was must’ve climbed the fire escape to get up.

He slowly turned around. “Aunt Amelie,” he gasped.

“Hello, Chat Noir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like Ladybug and think that she is an amazing example of a female superhero who is both feminine and a badass and who isn’t all self-righteous, but a big part of this fic is the Graham de Vanily lore so it’s important that Chat has some confrontations of his own without Ladybug.  
> I'm also being a little handwavy on the set up of the cavern because I have absolutely no idea if it's above ground or below or what. If you have thoughts and this needs to be adjusted, please comment politely lol.


	14. Amelie Graham de Vanily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amelie reveals what she knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's lesson: flirting with a friend you have a seriously confusing crush on even though he often tells you that he loves you as a friend is a bad idea. Just don't do it.

Adrien gaped at his aunt. He realized this must’ve looked suspicious and snapped his mouth closed. “Who’s Chat Noir?” he asked.

Amelie scowled at him, raising an eyebrow. “Really, Adrien? You could never hide anything from me as a child. From Gabriel, yes, but not from me.”

“I- what are you going to do now?” Adrien asked, quietly.

Amelie walked closer to Adrien. She reached out a hand to rest on his arm in what he supposed was meant to be a comforting gesture, but he pulled back. She sighed. “I’m going to help you. Explain what you don’t understand.”

“How do _you_ understand?” Adrien asked.

“Our family has a longer history with Miraculouses than you know. I want to explain everything to you, but first we need to get your friend healed.” Amelie titled her head to Ladybug’s fallen form.

“She was knocked unconscious. She has been for a while now. I don’t know how to help her.”

“I do. Your mother and I both had our own journals containing some important cures and information from the grimoire. I just never thought I’d need to use it”

“You and my mother had the grimoire? How?” Adrien narrowed his eyes at his aunt.

“Adrien, a lot has happened in our family’s past. I would love to explain it all soon, but Ladybug needs to hear this too. Let me help you heal her and we can talk.”

“Why should I trust you?” Adrien asked.

“Adrien, we’re family-” Amelie started.

“My _father_ was family, but apparently he’s been my enemy _this entire time_. And it’s not like you’ve been around much,” Adrien fired.

Amelie fritted her teeth. “Don’t trust me, but trust your friend. I have a room at the Grand Paris, courtesy of Chloe Bourgeois, the reason I’m here.”

“Chloe?” Adrien gawked. He remembered the girl had looked so confident standing beside Lila and Felix, two people who had caused trouble in the past. He tried to give people the benefit of the doubt and circumstances, but so much had happened within the last two hours that he didn’t know what to think. What was going on inside Chloe’s head? Why had she called his aunt? What had been going on behind his back this whole time?

“Yes. I can meet you at the rooftop of the Grand Paris and let you into my room. Just come with me.”

“No!” Adrien cried. “I’m sick of not knowing _anything._ I deserve to be told at least one thing before I follow you anywhere!”

Amelie gave him a look filled with pity. She reached out to touch his arm, but he flinched away. He didn’t need her sympathy, he didn’t need any of this, not when his world was falling apart and his lady was unconscious.

Amelie pulled her hand back. “What do you want to know?”

There were a billion things to ask. Why was his mother in a glass casket? Why had his father been afraid of Felix? How much trouble was Paris in? But he finally settled on the one that was nagging him the most. “Did you know that my father was Hawkmoth?”

Amelie sighed. “I suspected it from the beginning. I knew your mother was the last person to have possession of the peacock and butterfly Miraculi. But I really wasn’t sure until you said so now.”

“But you still left me with him knowing that he could’ve been a national terrorist?” Adrien spat.

“What would you have had me do, Adrien? Gabriel Agreste is a very powerful man and I had no actual proof of him doing anything unsavory. He was your father and guardian and tampering with that would not have been good for any of us.”

“Some father he was!” Adrien huffed. “I’m not inclined to follow you anywhere, right now.”

“I’m not going to make you. But if you want Ladybug to come out of her coma sooner rather than later, you’ll want to meet me at the Grand Paris. It will be safer for me to explain things there too.”

“Why isn’t it safe here?” Adrien asked.

“I don’t know when how the shadow creature plans to attack.”

“What shadow creature?”

“The one whose name is older than our language. The one that is possessing my son’s body right now.”

Adrien’s eyes widened. It made sense now: the way Hawkmoth had looked genuinely scared when Felix had entered the room, the way he had insisted that Chat take Ladybug and leave. “He might’ve already. He appeared in a cavern my father had hidden beneath our manor”

Amelie sucked in a breath. “That’s very bad. We need to move quickly.”

Adrien was beginning to become panicked. “What is he going to do?”

“I promise I’ll explain everything, but it’s important that Ladybug hear this too. You’re welcome to stay here, Adrien, but like it or not you need my potion and you need my information.”

Adrien clenched his jaw. A few hours ago, he might’ve followed her. But now… he didn’t know.

He looked down to Ladybug’s sleeping form. “If we stay here, will she be okay?” Adrien asked.

“Eventually, but it might take her hours to days to wake up, depending on how much damage she suffered. With what you’ve just told me, I don’t think you have that time.”

Adrien stared at his aunt, not wanting to make the first move.

“If you want my help, I’ll be on the rooftop of the Grand Paris.” Adrien watched as Amelie walked back down the fire escape.

“Kid, we don’t need to follow her,” Plagg said, looking at Adrien’s hurt expression. “Ladybug will be fine. We can find another way to wake her up faster.”

Adrien shook his head. “We don’t have time.” Adrien took a deep breath in. “Plagg, claws out.”

\---------

The television played softly in Amelie’s hotel room. The news station was speculating on the hole Chat Noir had left in the ground and why he and Ladybug had fled, but no reporters, not even the Ladyblogger had braved getting a closer look. The news was instead interviewing pedestrians and showing the police blocking off the hole, waiting for Chat Noir and Ladybug to go back. Part of Chat Noir thought he should go and reassure the public lest anyone be akumatized, but he didn’t trust Amelie enough to leave Ladybug alone and vulnerable with her.

Ladybug had been laid on the hotel bed. Chat had sat down beside her and was gently stroking her hair. It hurt him to see her so vulnerable. And even more so to know that his father and Nathalie (he hadn’t gotten confirmation that she was Mayura but he didn’t know anyone else who would follow his father like that) were responsible for it.

Chat sighed and brought his attention back to Amelie, who was adding different liquids and herbs to a small bowl.

“How did you know I was Adrien?” Chat asked. The anger that had been in his voice had vanished, but he remained tense. Just because she was family, didn’t mean she had his best interest at heart. His father proved that.

“To be honest, I didn’t. I was trying to find Chat Noir and Ladybug as I figured they’d need the information that I had. I went up on the rooftop with the idea that I’d find just Chat Noir. I had no idea that you were Chat Noir until I saw _you_ with your kwami and a transformed Ladybug,” Amelie paused for a moment. “Your mother would be very proud of you, you know.”

Chat did his best to keep his face a semblance of impassivity, but inside he felt a warmth growing in his chest at the reminder of his mother. “Did you know that my father was keeping her in a cavern under the house?”

Amelie let out a silent “ah” of realization. “I knew she was not dead, but I did not know where she was being kept.” She waited for Adrien to say anything else. When he didn’t, she let out a long breath. “I’m sorry for everything. I know you don’t trust me and you have no reason to after everything that happened with your father. I have so much to atone for, but right now, we are going to focus on waking Ladybug up and debriefing the both of you.”

Chat nodded, but decided to ignore her apology in favor of asking upon the potion. “How’s the potion coming?”

“Well enough. You’re lucky I thought to keep a vial of tears of happiness on hand.”

“Why would you do that?”

“There was once a time when Emilie and I were tasked with taking care of dangers in this world. Emilie suggested we keep spell supplies on hand, in case the need ever arose. Even after our… estrangement, I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of them. I only regret that I realized too late that the dangers Emilie warned me of were real.”

“You said my mother would be proud of me. She knew about the Miraculouses. What was she doing? The reason she’s under the mansion… was it related to magic?”

“I believe so, but now I need your help with the potion.” Amelie turned off the television and walked over to sit beside Chat on the bed, carrying the bowl in her hands. “Help me hold this under her nose. She needs to breathe it in. Then I’ll tell you both everything you need to know, I promise.”

Chat went to hold the bowl beneath Ladybug’s nose with Amelie. He felt like it was too soon that Amelie was lowering the bowl and placing it on the bedside table. Chat searched Ladybug’s face for any sign of movement, but her face remained just as pale as it was before.

Chat turned to look at Amelie but was drawn back to Ladybug by a loud gasp. She sat upright, her eyes wide. Her eyes scanned the room, softening only slightly when she saw Chat. “Chat, where am I? Mayura…”

Chat put his hands on her shoulders, gently pushing her to lay back down on the bed. She still needed as much rest as she could get. “We’re at the Grand Paris. You were hurt in the fight.”

Ladybug nodded but remained on guard. “You’re Adrien Agreste’s aunt, aren’t you?” Ladybug asked, her eyes landing on Amelie. “Why are you here?”

“There is a lot to explain. For better or for worse, I have the answers.”

“What does that mean?” Ladybug asked. She was looking at Chat this time.

“It means that Hawkmoth’s lair… it was in the Agreste Manor. Gabriel Agreste _is_ Hawkmoth,” Chat answered.

“No,” Ladybug gasped. “But the Collector… I really thought it was him back then.”

“He had us all fooled,” Chat admitted, his voice laced with sadness.

Ladybug’s eyes widened. “Adrien! We need to help him and make sure he’s not in danger!”

Chat watched as his aunt narrowed her eyes. “He’s-”

Chat wasn’t sure what she was about to say but cut her off to be safe. “I made sure that he was safe. He was in the manor at the time, but away from Hawkmoth. I can’t tell you where he is for his safety, but I promise that he is away from the manor and Hawkmoth and will be okay.” Chat noticed that his Aunt raised an eyebrow, but nodded along with his explanation anyway.

Ladybug’s body relaxed. “That’s good.” Her expression shifted to something sadder. “Adrien will be crushed to know his father is Hawkmoth.”

“I know,” Chat muttered.

Amelie sighed. “There’s a lot to explain. And not a lot of time.”

“Why isn’t there a lot of time?” Ladybug asked.

“After you were hit, Felix came in, with Lila and Chloe following me. My-“ Chat stopped himself when he realized his almost-mistake. “Mayura and Hawkmoth told me to run.”

“Why would they do that? Hawkmoth had our Miraculouses in his grasp.”

“According to Amelie, Felix has been possessed by a shadow creature.” Chat sighed.

Ladybug’s eyes narrowed. “A… shadow creature?” Her eyes flashed to Amelie.

The older woman nodded. “A creature of darkness, comparable to a demon, bent on taking control of our realm. For many years, my family was involved in protecting the world from them. However, I am here now because Chloe, who has taken on an impromptu role as a double agent, called me.”

“Chloe _Bourgoeis_?” Ladybug asked. Chat knew that Ladybug was shocked, but he was elated. He knew there had been good in her and this just proved it. “I didn’t know she was close to you.”

Amelie nodded. “She was close to my sister once. She thought she saw Felix was acting strange and called to see if I knew he was here.” She sighed. “I didn’t. I’ve been busy and thought that he was at his boarding school. It wasn’t until she started describing his plan that I realized that it wasn’t my son.”

“What was his plan?” Ladybug asked.

“World domination,” Amelie said. The two superheroes looked at her with wide eyes. She sighed and continued. “It all has to do with my family. Beneath the Graham de Vanily manor- now the Agreste manor- there is the site of a portal. There are several portal sites around the world, opening to alternate universes, there are even some that are theorized to lead to the afterlife. But this portal under the manor… it leads to a ‘shadow’ universe, one filled with demonic creatures of darkness. Beatrice and Adelaide Graham de Vanily, two of my ancestors, first closed the portal with magic-created rings centuries ago. It has been up to my family ever since to keep that portal in particular closed. The responsibility fell to Emilie and me when we were eighteen. For many years, it was our yearly duty to perform a ritual to strengthen the borders between the worlds.” Amelie sighed. “Emilie got faint by it and I may have gotten scared and left her alone. The portal gradually got weaker. Emilie never called me to help. Instead, she used the broken peacock Mirauclous to try to keep any energy seeping out at bay."

“It was your responsibility and you just left Emilie on her own?!” Chat Noir shouted. Ladybug’s eyes were wide at his outburst, but he didn’t care.

Amelie just winced. “It was not my best moment, but I didn’t know that she would use the broken Miraculous nor that the portal was as dangerous as it seemed.”

“You couldn’t trust her,” Chat’s voice was laced with something dark and dangerous.

“I had a son to worry about,” Amelie shot back. “The ritual was draining Emilie and I didn’t want it to drain me too and leave my son without a mother. But he’s gone now, anyway, so I suppose I failed.”

Chat and Amelie stared each other down. They were interrupted by Ladybug, whose concentration was on the bed spread rather than the glaring family members. “Emilie was sick before she died. That was because of the broken Miraculous?”

“Emilie isn’t dead,” Amelie said.

“But how?” Ladybug looked to Chat for confirmation. He just nodded his head.

“The magic of the Graham de Vanily ring on her finger is keeping her alive at the moment,” Amelie admitted.

“The magic of the Graham de Vanily rings?” Chat gawked. Amelie had mentioned it before, but it hadn’t really sunk in until now.

Amelie nodded. “The powers my sister and I used were bestowed upon us by the twin rings. On their own, they protect their wearer from death by magical or natural causes, hence Emilie’s state.” Amelie took a deep breath. “When the rings are worn by people who represent two halves of a whole, or dual forces they can open or close rifts in the universe. As twins, Emilie and I were two halves. I believe that Emilie and her husband tried to close the portal too, but it works better when the pairs are related or representations of the yin-yang. My sister and I were able to close the portal for a while, but only the personification of creation and destruction can create or destroy rifts forever.” Amelie sighed. “Two years ago, the portal opened, allowing a creature out, who I believe possessed my son. Emilie and I were able to use the combined forces of the rings to close the portal, but I now realize it was only a momentary fix. It is up to you too to close the portal forever or, as the shadow creature wishes, open it forever.”

“But we wouldn’t help a creature destroy the world,” Ladybug murmured.

“Not to save people who mattered to you?” Amelie countered. “Chloe didn’t tell me the specifics of the plan- I believe she was hoping that she would have more time and be able to tell _you_ \- but I imagine he would try to draw you to him.”

“And he has Chloe, who has publicly worked with us, with him now,” Chat worked out.

“That could be one plan of his,” Amelie admitted.

“So now we need to go there and close the portal and know that there is a very good chance he could use Chloe or another friend as leverage to get us to open it?” Ladybug sucked in a breath. “How dangerous is Felix?”

“I only know the little research my ancestors did on other portals, portals filled with benevolent creatures. Without the portal open, their powers are supposedly limited. Being near the portal, he would be more powerful. I do know that if the portal did open, he’d be unstoppable.”

“So, we need to be on our guard,” Ladybug mused. “How do we stop him?”

“The only way to stop him is to destroy the portal for good. I don’t think that he needs to be inside of it, if he is outside the portal, he should cease to exist when the source of his power ceases to exist in this world.”

“That sounds easy enough.”

“It should be, except you need both twin rings. Last time I checked, Felix was wearing one of the rings and Emilie was wearing the other.”

“I think I saw the ring on Gabriel’s finger,” Chat admitted.

“He took it off Emilie?” Amelie asked.

“Is that bad?”

“I’m not entirely sure. Emilie might be beyond saving at this point regardless of whether or not she wears the ring. She needed a miracle.”

“A miracle,” Ladybug repeated. “Like the cat and bug Miraculouses.” The room was plunged into silence, each person saddened by the fate of Emilie Agreste for a different reason.

Chat was the first one to break the silence, giving Ladybug a tight smile. “We can still get the rings from Gabriel and Felix. It’ll just take a little extra thinking on our part, something my lady does best.” Ladybug returned his smile, grateful for his thin attempt at optimism.

Her smile was short-lived as she turned back to Amelie. “How do we destroy the portal?”

“My sister and I used to say a rhyme our ancestors created to close it. They wrote one for destroying the portal, should the need ever appear, but as long as you know the intention the rings will do the work for you. The rhyme is just a way of focusing that intention.”

“What’s the rhyme?” Ladybug asked.

Amelie flipped through the journal book on the bedside table until she found the page she wanted. “‘In this world you cannot stay, with this ring I send you on your way. From this day, you are no more, I destroy this very door.’”

“‘In this world you cannot stay, with this ring I send you on your way. From this day, you are no more, I destroy this very door,’” Ladybug repeated under her breath. She looked up with a determined grin. “You got that, kitty?”

“Absolutely,” he grinned.

“We should go. We can scout out and make a plan once we know what is happening and if Felix is planning to try anything else.” Ladybug turned to Amelie. “Just a few more things.”

“Yes?”

“Do you have any idea what Chloe is planning?”

“No. She told me she would try to play double agent, but she thought she would have time to talk to you both first. It seems that is not the case. I don’t even know if she _had_ a plan or if she was just planning to come up with one when we get there.”

“Chloe is nothing if not resourceful,” Chat mused. Ladybug looked at him in shock. This was the same girl who had Sabrina do her homework. Why did Chat think she was resourceful? Did he know her? Ladybug shook her head. She would know Chat’s identity as soon as they defeated the demon. That was enough to get her through all of this; the promise of being with her kitty. She would then learn his connection to Chloe.

“And the last thing?” Amelie asked, drawing Ladybug out of her daydream.

“If you don’t mind me asking, if this _shadow creature_ took over your son, how are you not breaking down?” Ladybug asked.

“At this point in my life, I have lost so many people that I’ve learned to push aside my feelings to get things done.” Amelie sighed. “And I am holding on to the hope that if he is dead, at least you and Chat Noir will defeat the shadow creature that took him so that his death is not in vain.”

“We'll do our best," Ladybug gave the woman a sharp nod.

"I know you will.” Amelie schooled her expression into a thin smile. “Go now. I have faith in you. Please fix my mistakes.”

Chat Noir stiffened at the words and left the room through the opened balcony without another word. Ladybug watched with confusion. What was with him?

She shook her head and turned her attention to Amelie. “Thank you for all your help. We’ll try our best.” With that, the hero was gone, chasing after her partner, ready to save the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos or comments! I love to hear from you all!


	15. The Miracle Box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir prepare to confront Felix, but not before gathering a few more powers.

Ladybug and Chat Noir perched on a rooftop across from the manor. From their vantage point, they could see Agreste manor and the hole that Chat had created in the ground. Police officers were on the scene, roping off the wreckage, and trying to keep people from the edge. A helicopter flew overhead as reporters on the ground spoke to cameras.

Ladybug brought the news feed up on her yo-yo.

“Witnesses say that they saw Chat Noir and Ladybug descend into this cavity earlier this morning. They say that the two heroes reemerged less than an hour later, with Chat Noir holding Ladybug. There have been no akuma sightings and our video feed has yet to capture any clear images of who or what lies under the street. Police are working to keep the area blocked off, not wanting to continue until they get the go-ahead from Paris’s heroes who have yet to arrive,” Nadja Chamack spoke.

Ladybug shut the yo-yo with a snap. She sucked in a breath. They couldn’t just rush in, she knew that, but it still hurt to think that people were waiting for them. She jumped as Chat’s hand came to rest on her shoulder.

“It’s okay. No one is in danger. There haven’t been akumas yet and you and I both know that if there was one, we wouldn’t hesitate to protect the people.”

“I know, but I-” Ladybug searched for the right word, “I’m on edge. We knew Hawkmoth’s style, he sent an akuma to try and come after our Miraculouses. Occasionally, he’d make an appearance or come after a wielder, but we knew still him. I have no idea what Felix is going to do. If he has Lila and Chloe, he could akumatize one or both of them. He also could have akumatized Nathalie and Gabriel depending on how strong he is. And we have no idea if he’ll try to come after us or just wait for us to use someone else as leverage. We need to know more than we do now.”

Chat shrugged but smiled. “So? We get more information.”

“We’d need to be invisible,” Ladybug mused. “Fortunately, I have a box worth of powers for times like this. Do you want to get the gang back together, kitty?” Ladybug smirked.

Chat smiled. “You’re the only partner I’ll ever need, my lady, but it was fun to have other heroes every now and then.” He shrugged. “But that’s really only one option.”

“Roarr, the kwami of the tiger Miraculous, uses stealth… I could use that to sneak in so we would have a better idea,” Ladybug mused. “I’d also want to have Kaalki in case we need to teleport to get other Miraculi.”

“Do you know how long the stealth lasts?”   
“Five minutes, the same as everything else. But if we have Kaalki we can hide in the shadows if it takes longer and just teleport out. Would you feel comfortable with Kaalki? I know you’ve used Tikki and Sass before.”

Chat froze at the mention of Sass, before remembering that of course, he had used that when she had been Dragonbug. “Anything for you, my lady.”

“Can you wait here and keep an eye on things?” Ladybug asked. “I promise I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be here, my lady.” Chat watched as Ladybug bounded off before turning back around to resume his post.

\-------------

Ladybug zipped across Paris, careful to stick to the shadows of the rooftops as not to be spotted. She didn’t need to draw attention to herself. While she doubted Felix had agents roaming the street, any spottings of Ladybug by the general public would certainly lead to speculations that she didn’t want to start. Still, she moved fast, not knowing if Felix would send an akuma as soon as she was gone.

Ladybug dropped onto the balcony, quickly running into her room. “Tikki, spots off!” Marinette cried. As the kwami recharged with cookies Marinette had left on her desk, Marinette ran for the Miracle box. She placed it in the center of the floor and kneeled beside it.

“Which ones are you going to choose?” Tikki chirped.

“For myself, Roarr. We need to do more surveillance. I also need Kaalki for transportation, I was thinking of giving that to Chat.”

“Say the words and we’ll be ready to go.”

“Tik-” Marinette stopped, staring at another spot in the Miracle box. It had been untouched by her and Fu for so long, but there it was staring at her, taunting her as if it knew what she was planning.

“Marinette? Is everything alright?” Tikki asked.

“I’m so going to regret this, aren’t I?” Marinette complained.

“Regret what?”

“Making Chloe Queen Bee again!” Marinette cried. Before she could stop herself, she reached for the yellow and black pin. She took a deep breath and closed the Miracle Box, placing it back in its place. “Tikki, spots on.”

\---------------

Immediately after Ladybug left Chat regretted it. It was the first time he had been left alone, without any pressing matters since the confrontation with Hawkmoth. Chat just couldn’t believe what his father had done, couldn’t understand how someone’s heart could become so hardened. When his mom had disappeared, he had wanted her back, but he ultimately understood that he needed to move on. He supposed his father never felt that way, but he still wondered how it was possible to become so twisted. And even more concerning, could it ever happen to him?

Thankfully, he was soon put out of his misery by the familiar sound of his lady’s footfalls on the roof behind him.

“Any movement?” she asked, coming to kneel beside him again.

“None.” Chat turned to face Ladybug “You have the Miraculouses?”

Ladybug pointed to a small bag she had attached to her hip. She opened it for Chat to see the contents. Inside was the striped bracelet that was the tiger Miraculous, the glasses that were the horse Miraculous, and…

“The bee miraculous?” he asked.

Ladybug grimaced. “Yeah. I just don’t know what we’re going to find and there’s always a chance we would need the other ally.”

“I trust you, my lady,” Chat said. Ladybug reached into the bag handing him the horse Miraculous. He looked it over for a moment before putting the classes on. “Plagg, Kaalki, unify,” he cried.

The transformation washed over him. There weren’t any reflexive surfaces to look at himself in, but a look down showed him that his normal black boots had changed to brown and there were now brown accents on his suit. The dimmed sunlight told him that the glasses he had put on appeared to be sunglasses.

He turned his attention back to Ladybug, blushing when he noticed the way she stared at him.

“Sorry,” she blushed. “It’s always interesting watching someone else transform. And this is the first real time that I’ve seen _you_ transform.”

“Did I have a nice transformation, at least?” Chat gave her a cocky smile.  
“Of course, kitty. Or should I say, Cheval Noir?” Ladybug asked, a small smile on her face. That smile quickly morphed into a more determined look- a look that was definitely one of Chat’s favorite- as she placed the tiger bracelet around her wrist, slipping her fingers into the rings. “Tikki, Roarr, unify.”

Chat watched in awe as Ladybug transformed in front of him, understanding what she had meant only moments before. While Ladybug was no stranger to Miraculous transformations, he was, having only been in the presence of Dragonbug’s transformation and, even then, it had only been out of the corner of his eye.

He watched as a purple light washed over her. Her black and red suit was now red with stripes that gradually shifted from pink to purple as they climbed up her body. Her hair was no longer in its usual pigtails, but instead pulled into a high ponytail. A red ribbon looked around the base, strands of purple and pink offsetting the usual black.

Ladybug blushed. “Looks like I’m not the only one who finds transfunmations for. I mean, transformation fun. Ugh.”

For a brief moment, Chat thought that stutter sounded familiar, but he quickly shook it off. “You’re beautiful, my Lady Tigresse.”

“Chat,” Ladybug chided, but even as she rolled her eyes, he could see her flushed cheeks and a smile teasing her lips. “We need to be serious.”

“I know. So we go in to get an idea and see what happens?” Chat asked.

“Yes. The goal is to learn more about Felix’s powers. But if it seems like the time is right to strike, we can, and we have Chloe’s Miraculous as a back-up.”

Chat decided not to muse on the fact that she called it Chloe’s Miraculous. Truth be told, he couldn’t imagine anyone else being bold enough to wear it.

“Sounds good. You can call up stealth and then we can go.”

He turned to face the direction they would go. He was pulled back by a hand on his arms. “Wha-” he managed, finding Ladybug staring at him with a different sort of intensity.

“I just want you to know that I- I care about you,” the heroine admitted, looking him deep in the eyes.

“I care about you too, my lady. But everything will be okay. I promise.” Before he could second guess himself, Chat pulled Ladybug into a hug, one she met willingly. It wasn’t a romantic embrace like he once dreamed of, but one of comfort and trust that came from many years of partnership. Whatever happened next, they were partners until the end.

Ladybug nodded. Taking his hand in hers she spoke, “Roarr, camouflage.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next few chapters might sort of be rough. Sorry, I just really want to finish this so I can move on to other projects with a clear conscience.


	16. The Stand Against Gypsy Moth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug and Chat Noir spy on Gypsy Moth using the tiger Miraculous. Fighting ensues.

_Listen, Chat, whatever happens, I just want you to know that I- I care about you._ She had said. She had meant to say love but had stopped herself at the last moment. Though she knew it was true, declaring her love then sounded too much like a final farewell. This would not be the end. She would have a chance to tell him she loved him after the fight.

Following the effects of the tiger Miraculous, she and Cheval Noir disappeared to the rest of the world. When Ladybug looked at her partner, she could still see him, though he seemed more ghostlike. A glance at the window that had shown their reflections only moments before showed her that their forms were no longer visible to even reflections.

Ladybug didn’t have enough time to celebrate these found powers. She and Chat needed to get into Hawkmoth’s lair before time ran out.

“Ready, kitty?” she asked.

“You bet.”

The two heroes jumped from their spot on the rooftop to the area that had been barricaded by police officers. Maneuvering the police officers standing guard, they moved to stand above the same hole in the pavement that they had been only hours ago. Strange to think that in that short span of time, so much had changed.

Ladybug looked down into the hole, before meeting her partner’s gaze. Ever trusting, the two heroes nodded at each other before jumping down. Years of superheroism, and a little help from the tiger Miraculous, allowed for them to land on the metal walkway without a sound, before straightening and looking forward.

Chloe leaned against a metal railing, looking at the phone she held in her hand. She looked so Chloe-like at the moment- self-absorbed, entitled, rude- that it was strange to think that here she was as a double agent.

Ladybug’s eyes flickered to the right side where a figure who must be Felix stood. His blonde hair had been slicked back and she could see from a distance that he wore a white suit and mask, products of the butterfly Miraculous.

Ladybug sucked in a breath when she realized what was standing next to him. The akuma wore a costume that seemed to mimic those of her and Chat. That had to be Lila. Her lips were moving, but Ladybug was too far away to make out what she was saying. Ladybug gestured for Chat to walk closer to the dais.

Ladybug had just started to move when she heard a beeping in her ear. She froze, expecting all eyes in the dais to turn to her. After a few beats, she realized that no one had turned to her, save for Chat who fixed her with a confused expression. The Miraculous countdown must have also been camouflaged. She shook her head and held up four fingers for Chat to see. He nodded and they continued their trek forward.

Chloe looked up from her phone. “Why is this plan so complicated? It’s too much work. Utterly ridiculous, I tell you.” Ladybug rolled her eyes. _That_ sounded like the Chloe she knew.

Felix brought a hand up to his forehead. “Your entire role in this plan is to sit here and do nothing. Why are you complaining?”

“I’m just pointing out the obvious. Even the Controller or whatever she’s calling herself _this_ time is fed up with waiting.”

“Gypsy Moth,” the akumatized Lila spoke. “What are we waiting for? We know the names of the Ladybug’s allies. We should strike now before they know what’s coming.”

“Patience. The timing is not yet right,” Felix grumbled. Though his hands were gloved, she could make out the outline of a ring.

 _So that was it._ Ladybug thought to herself. They were to use the other Miraculous wielders as hostages. Interesting. Another beep sounded in her ear. She turned to look at Chat Noir, holding up three of her ghostly fingers.

Chat nodded and turned to leave, but Ladybug held up a hand. Maybe it was foolish and getting overconfident, but they were so close and invisible. They could sneak up now, and take the broach and the ring before anyone was the wiser.

Ladybug turned to Chat Noir who was waiting for her cue. She hated that she couldn’t share her entire plan with him, but with pleading eyes, she urged him to follow her. Chat bit his lip in contemplation, but followed anyway, keeping close beside her.

Ladybug took a deep breath as they neared the dais. It was a strange sight indeed. To her left, behind an impatient Chloe, Gabriel Agreste sat on the metal floor with his hands tied to the railing. His hair and clothing were disheveled and he looked as defeated as she ever saw the rather stoic man. Beside him sat his assistant, Nathalie Sancouer. At this closer distance, she noted that the peacock Miraculous lay disregarded in the center of the dais, though she could not see the kwami anywhere. To her right stood the Controller and Gypsy Moth. She recalled having been in rooms with all of these people before and marveled at the fact that she had never truly known who they were.

There was another loud beep in her ear. 2 minutes left. She could do it. Turning to Gypsy Moth, she took in the Butterfly Miraculous at his throat.

Ladybug reached out her hand, fingers inching towards the Miraculous. Her fingers just barely grazed the metal when a hand locked around her wrist. Her eyes widened in horror.

“My, my, I have to say I did not expect you to be this bold,” Gypsy Moth spoke. Ladybug didn’t say a word. “Didn’t think I would see you? I can’t, but being this close to the site of the portal gives me some heightened perceptions. I could sense you as you grew near. Now, Controller!” Gypsy Moth yelled.

Ladybug turned to see Controller lunge at her. Ladybug struggled to get her wrist away from Felix, but he held tight. However, the akumatized girl never got to her, instead getting hit by the extension of Chat Noir’s baton. She crashed against the far railings, snarling as she righted herself. Chat Noir vaulted over Ladybug and Felix to ensure that the akuma stayed back.

“She controls people by touch!” Chloe shrieked amidst the chaos.

“Roarr, separate!” Ladybug yelled. Their disguise was lost anyway, it wouldn’t matter now. Though the orange kwami was worn out, she still bit at Felix in an attempt to get him to let go of her mistress. His grip wouldn’t budge though and soon the orange kwami was zipping away.

As Chat Noir struggled to beat back the Controller, Ladybug took advantage of Gypsy Moth’s distraction and reached for the bee Miraculous she had tucked into her hair. “Chloe! Don’t make me regret this!” she shouted, throwing the Miraculous to the girl who caught it with open hands dropping her phone to the ground to do so.

“You won’t!” Chloe cried. “Pollen, buzz on!” Ladybug watched as the transformation overtook her.

She smirked and looked into Gypsy Moth’s eyes. “I still have other plans up my sleeve.”

“As do I,” he smirked back. However, that smirk quickly turned ashen as he collapsed under Queen Bee’s stun.

“I’ve told you I could be of help,” Chloe scoffed.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll thank you later,” Ladybug asked. She charged further up the dais, the akuma still in Lila. Chat’s baton had been knocked to the ground, but he had managed to wrestle her to the ground. Ladybug began to swing her yo-yo in case he needed the back-up, but he seemed to have it handled when he brought his hand up and cataclysmed the girl’s bracelet. The black butterfly flew out of the girl’s bracelet.

Ladybug whipped her yo-yo to capture the small butterfly. “No, more evil-doing for you, little akuma.”

“Oh, Ladybug, thank goodness you’re here!” Lila cried. “It was awful.”

“Save it, Lila,” Ladybug spoke, kneeling beside Gypsy Moth’s fallen body as she did. “I bet you there are at least three witnesses who can say that you willingly worked with Felix- someone you had to have known was possessed by a shadow creature- and Hawkmoth to spell our doom. I don’t think that’s going to look so good for you.”

Ladybug took the broach from around his neck, placing it on the platform below her feet. Before her eyes, Gypsy Moth transformed, leaving him once again looking like the twin of a boy she knew. She felt a brief pang in her chest, wondering if Adrien knew the truth yet. She sighed and picked the ring off Felix’s hand.

“Chloe? Can you go upstairs alert the police that they need to take Miss Rossi into custody? We can all make statements later, Chat Noir and I have a few things to finish up down here first,” Ladybug directed, turning to the two girls.

“With pleasure,” Chloe smirked at Lila, whose wrists she held between her hands. She began to push the other girl towards the elevator. As she neared the end of the dais, she tripped and fell. Ladybug rolled her eyes. To others it might have looked like a trip, but Ladybug knew better.

“Lila, no one down here is falling for your tricks.” Ladybug helped right the girl, handing Chloe one of her hair ribbons to be used as a wrist-cuff. Lila brushed herself off and huffed at Ladybug before being led out by Chloe.

As Ladybug interacted with the two other girls, Chat Noir moved over to where Gabriel and Nathalie were tied up. “Son, there’s still time for you to resurrect your mother. You can be happy. Just take Ladybug’s earrings.”

Chat hardened his mouth into a line, biting back the urge to scream. “No, Father. I miss Mother every day, but this isn’t how we get to be happy. All I need to be happy is to have the people who are still alive care even a little bit about me.” With that, Chat took off Gabriel’s ring, leaving a flabbergasted Gabriel in his wake.

As Chat turned, his transformation as Chat Noir gave out, leaving him in the brown leather suit of the horse Miraculous. Plagg flew into Chat’s face. “Kid? What are you thinking?” he asked.

“I look forward to being done with this all,” Chat spoke through gritted teeth. He sucked a deep breath in collecting himself, putting on the model smile as he had so many times in the past. His eyes landed on Ladybug and he felt his face begin to shift into a real smile before falling again. What would she say to him when she learned the truth? How could he not have known that his own father was Hawkmoth?

Chat Noir shook his head. He’d think of all of that later. Right now, saving the day was the priority.

“I’m going to go get some cheese, kid. I’ll be right back,” Plagg muttered, before phasing away.

Chat joined Ladybug at the center of the dais, Felix’s ring on the superheroine’s hand already. Chat put Gabriel’s on his finger as well. The ring adjusted on his finger, not unlike his Miraculous. It was strange to think that in another timeline, he might have ended up wearing this ring under very different circumstances.

“So, we just say the words and the portal closes and it’s all okay?” Chat asked.

Ladybug took in a deep breath. “I guess so.”

Ladybug held Chat’s hand and began to say the lines Amelie had taught them. “In this world, you cannot stay, with this ring I send you on your way. From this day, you are no more, I destroy this very door,” the two heroes repeated.

A slight breeze appeared. Ladybug looked up and gasped, words faltering on her tongue. Suspended above them was a hole of darkness, like a starless night. She straightened but began to speak again. Lightning crackled within the portal, as though the very fabric of the universe was fighting them.

“Watch out!” Chat Noir yelled. Felix had risen from the previous stun. The look on his face was like that of a feral animal. His eyes, which had once matched the Agreste heir’s green ones, were now completely black like the portal above them. Felix lunged at Ladybug, who twirled her yo-yo around his wrists to stop him. He laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Ladybug’s spine. Ladybug watched as the creature transformed into smoke before her eyes. Her yo-yo fell limply to the ground as she backed up with Chat Noir. Felix rematerialized in front of them, a smirk on his face.

“I draw strength from the portal, silly bug,” he taunted. He grabbed her wrists, knowing full well that all he really needed was to hurt one of them and the other would comply with whatever. It was at that moment that Ladybug swung her leg up, kicking him in the gut and sending him flying backward.

Chat Noir jumped in front of her, horseshoe out. “I’ll hold him off while you think up a plan.”

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug cried. In her hand appeared a pogo stick. She furrowed her brow at the strange device.

In front of her, Chat Noir and Felix fought. He still had his usual agility which allowed him to dodge Felix, but she could tell that the Horseshoe was a weapon he was unfamiliar with and was not helping in this fight against an unknown opponent. Ladybug continued to scan the room but saw nothing light up.

“Ladybug!” Chat Noir called.

“I know! I’m working on it!” Ladybug called to the hero who had worked his way farther up the dais.

Scanning the room, Ladybug saw the blast that was to come before Chat Noir did. Chat threw his horseshoe at Felix, who immediately dodged the hit by dissolving into smoke. The superhero, exhausted from the continuous fight, was panting heavily. Too soon, Felix once again rematerialized in front of Chat, this time sending the boy soaring backward with a kick. “Chat!” Ladybug cried watching as he sunk to the ground. Felix raised his hand up, collecting lightning in his palm. Ladybug ran forward but wasn’t sure she could make it in time or even what she would do if she did.

Fortunately, another blur hit Felix before she could. Ladybug gasped as Gabriel Agreste tackled Felix to the ground, the force of the lightning hitting both human and shadow creature in the chest.

“No!!!!!” Chat Noir screamed over the rising wind. The boy rose from the ground, staring at the unmoving heap, composed of his father and not-quite-cousin.

Meanwhile, Ladybug looked to her right to see a freed Nathalie Sancouer holding the ropes that had previously bound them. The woman gave Ladybug an apologetic smile. A significantly more cheerful Dusuu, floated beside Nathalie, clearly pleased by her work.

Ladybug turned back to Chat who had moved to kneel beside the fallen Gabriel. _What had this day come to?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wasn’t going for a Gabriel Agreste redemption arc when I started writing this and, to be honest, I still don’t think I’m going for one now. I think I might channel my dissatisfaction over Severus Snape’s redemption arc here.


	17. The Defeat

Gabriel had been so certain that his plan had succeeded. He had taken the ring from his wife, absolutely sure that he could enact the Miracle cure, but after all of it, he had failed. His wife wouldn’t be coming back from the limbo state she currently resided in. His legacy, all his work would be meaningless.

Gabriel watched as his son and Felix struggled, the words his son had spoken echoing in his ear. _All I need to be happy is to have the people who are still alive care even a little bit about me._ His son fought with such ferocity- Gabriel tried not to think about the fact that that ferocity was gained from years of fighting _him_ \- and yet, he wasn’t sure if it would be enough.  
His plan failed, his son possibly despised him, he had nothing to lose. Gabriel struggled against the rope Chloe had used to tie him up with, but it only served to dig deeper into the skin. Where the girl had learned her knot tying skills would remain a mystery.

Gabriel might die, his wife would never get revived, but he had crafted Adrien into a nearly perfect child. That work would not be wasted.

“Dusuu,” Gabriel whispered. The kwami peaked out from Nathalie’s pocket. Though the small creature cared for Nathalie, it wore a fearful expression when it faced Gabriel. Gabriel bit back the urge to roll his eyes. “I need you to untie me.” The creature looked at him with a blank expression. “I promise I won’t hurt you. My son, who Nathalie cares about a great deal, is in danger and I need to help him. Not as Hawkmoth or the peacock, but as myself.” Dusuu smiled at the mention of Nathalie and went to fiddle with the rope behind Gabriel’s back.

Once he was free, Gabriel crouched forward, careful to stay out of Ladybug’s sight. From observing the fight, Gabriel gathered that with the force of the portal, Felix’s powers had grown, allowing him to turn into smoke at will, save when he was getting ready for a strike. He just had to wait until the creature was off guard and then seize the moment.

Lightning filled the creature's palm and he knew what he had to do. He wasn’t sure if Ladybug could get there in time and even if she could, he knew that she had another task at hand. And though it pained him to admit it, she clearly made his son happier than he had in a while. Taking one last look at Emilie’s sleeping face, he charged at the creature, tackling him to the ground.

\--------------------

“No!!!!!” Chat Noir screamed looking at the heap that was his father and the creature parading as his cousin. He ran over, flipping Gabriel Agreste over. He was unmoving, but when Chat Noir put his gloved fingers to his neck he could feel a faint pulse.

Ladybug too ran over to Gabriel’s fallen form. “Oh my god,” she murmured. Chat just nodded. Hawkmoth had been their enemy, the bane of their existence, but it was an entirely different thing to be looking at an unconscious Gabriel Agreste.

Of course, at that moment, Ladybug understood what her lucky charm had to do. Glancing over to Felix’s fallen form- also unmoving from the force of his own power-, her vision lit up with the familiar red and black spots. She turned to the pogo stick at hand which also lit up and then herself and Chat Noir. Turning farther around the room, she noticed Nathalie watching the heroes and Gabriel with a hand over her mouth, Dusuu floating in the air beside her.

Chat Noir was just staring at Gabriel in a way that made Ladybug uneager to pull him away, but she knew that just because Felix was unmoving now, didn’t mean he would stay down.

Ladybug quirked her brow. She had never expected that Chat Noir would react so strongly to Gabriel Agreste. He always cared about akumatized victims- that was one of the reasons he loved him- but this seemed different, somehow. Still, she had no time to dwell on that now.

“Chat,” she murmured. Her partner snapped out of his daze and blinked up at her. “I figured out my lucky charm.”

“That’s great,” he said. He smiled at her, but Ladybug could tell that it was forced. There was a pain in his eyes that nearly made her flinch. Still, he stood up to meet her. “What do we do?”

“How do you feel about jumping across dimensions?” Ladybug asked. She was met with Chat’s wide eyes. “We hold Felix, pogo stick into the alternate dimension, then I need you to transport us back here while Mayura readies a sentimonster to guard the portal while we finish the spell.” A part of her felt guilty, leaving Felix’s body in another dimension, but Amelie had mentioned that he was already dead and that the most important thing was saving the world.

Chat huffed out a dry laugh. “One of your simpler lucky charms yet.”

Ladybug gave him a tight-lipped smile, before holding her lucky charm pogo stick out to him. Kneeling down, she hefted an unmoving Felix into her arms. He was heavier than she thought he’d be, but still an easy carry for her Ladybug strength.

Holding Felix in her arms, she turned back around to find Chat Noir with one leg poised on the pogo stick. His hand was outstretched to her. If it wasn’t for the pained look in his eye and the way he hunched his shoulders now that the exhilaration of the fight was starting to wear off, she would have thought that it was like a Disney movie, with her fairytale prince promising to whisk her away.

Ladybug looked over to Nathalie, who was still watching them with a stricken look. “Can you be ready for when we return, Nathalie?” Ladybug asked the woman.

Nathalie’s eyes seemed to resume focus when Ladybug addressed her. She gave a quick nod before speaking the words of her transformation.

Ladybug accepted his hand, not as a princess, but as his partner. They each placed their feet on the stirrups before holding on tightly to each other and the stick. With a flex of the knees and a few bounces, they were flying up, into the darkness.

Ladybug gasped when the light of the cavern disappeared from view. Instead, they were surrounded completely by darkness. Ladybug let go of Felix, letting him drift into the oblivion. It was like they were in space, suspended and floating without gravity, but where there should have been stars was only a canvas of the purest black. A look down had Ladybug gasping at the scorched red ground hundreds of feet below them. Shadows churned on top of it, though Ladybug couldn’t make out the creatures that made those shadows or even where the light source that produced them was.

“Chat?” Ladybug asked, still holding on tightly to him and her lucky charm.

“I know,” he murmured. “Voyage!”

It was slightly jarring, having the “voyage” used on her rather than to be doing the “voyage” herself. Even more jarring to return to the room they had been in only moments before to find a giant eagle flapping its wings beneath the gaping darkness, procured by Mayura to stand sentinel against any creatures who might come.

Once she had regained enough of her sense, Ladybug turned to her partner. “Take two?” she asked.

Chat nodded at her. They didn’t hold each other’s hands but began to chant in unison once again. “In this world you cannot stay, with this ring I send you on your way. From this day, you are no more, I destroy this very door.”

The wind stemming from the darkness picked up, whipping Chat’s hair into his eyes. Lightning crackled above them.

“In this world you cannot stay, with this ring I send you on your way. From this day, you are no more, I destroy this very door.”

The darkness began to grow smaller, though the sentimonster continued to beat its wings against the torrent.

“In this world you cannot stay, with this ring I send you on your way. From this day, you are no more, I destroy this very door.”

A blast of lightning scorched the metal beside Chat, but the two heroes continued to chant.

“In this world you cannot stay, with this ring I send you on your way. From this day, you are no more, I destroy this very door!”

With that last word, the rift erupted, sending a pulse of blue light out that knocked the two heroes off their feet. When they looked back up, the rift was gone.

“We did it,” Ladybug laughed. It wasn’t a happy sound, but one born out of hysterics and relief to be alive. There were still many problems: Lila’s fate, Hawkmoth’s fate, Amelie’s son’s fate and perhaps revealing that he truly was gone, but for right now they could be relieved that they were alive. Chat nodded beside her.

Ladybug stood up, before offering a hand to Chat. He grabbed it and she pulled him up.

“Pound it?” she offered weakly, holding out a fist to her partner. Instead of meeting her fist with his own, Chat pulled her into a tight embrace. For a moment Ladybug was too surprised to move, holding her arms stiffly by her side. But when his arms wrapped around his back and he nuzzled her hair, she melted into the embrace and wrapped her own arms around him, holding him close to her, basking in the sensations of warmth and safety.

“We did it,” Chat murmured, echoing her previous words.

“We’re alive,” she whispered back, burying her face in his neck, just wanting to be close to him.

The relief she felt was short-lived as they heard a sharp cough. Chat dislodged himself from Ladybug, who whipped her head around in time to see Gabriel Agreste cough again.

Mayura, who had dropped her transformation when the threat of more shadow creatures was no longer imminent, was already kneeling beside him, stroking his cheek. Now, Chat Noir joined them on the ground too, sharing a sympathetic look with him. “Why?” he asked.

“I couldn’t let you die,” Gabriel croaked. Chat just stared at his father. Hours ago, his father would have been ready to kill him to get his Miraculous, and now he sacrificed himself?

Chat reached for Gabriel’s hand, before dropping it and catching Ladybug’s eyes. Ladybug closed her mouth that was surely open, hoping that Chat hadn’t noticed. Because. She. Knew. It all made sense: why Chat had been hesitant to believe that Gabriel could be Hawkmoth, why Chat Noir had been sure that Adrien was okay during their fight with Volpina, why she fell for him when their memories were taken from them. And most of all, why he was now looking at their enemy with a mixture of hurt and anger and sadness.

Ladybug looked away. This wasn’t her place. She realized then that she still had her lucky charm in hand. “Miraculous Ladybug!” the girl tried, throwing it up into the air.

The healing ladybugs flitted around the room, repairing the hole in the ceiling and the dents in the railings. However, when Ladybug turned back to Gabriel, he still looked deathly pale. His breathing remained shallow like everyone could be his last.

“I don’t understand,” Ladybug asked.

“This magic… is older than ours,” Gabriel croaked. He descended into another coughing fit. Ladybug’s eyes lifted to Chat, whose gaze was trained on Gabriel. “I- I have to go check on Chloe,” Ladybug stuttered, before turning and running.

She couldn’t do anything to save Gabriel now, wasn’t even sure if Chat wanted her to save him, but she could give him these final moments.

\-------------------

Chat watched Ladybug run from the room, unsure what she knew or didn’t know. His gaze only lingered on her for moments before he turned his attention back to his father. “Kaalki, dismount,” he murmured, letting his transformation fall.

“Adrien,” Gabriel murmured.

“Father,” Adrien answered. He felt a weight on his shoulder and turned to find that Plagg had returned to sit on his shoulder. He was grateful for the kwami’s presence at this moment.

“Just know that everything I did,” Gabriel coughed. “I did for you and your mother.”

Adrien just stared at his father, only a glimmer of light remaining in his eyes. What was there to do? Spit that this wasn’t what he wanted? Cry at the man’s possible last words? Say that everything he did wrong- all the people he hurt- didn’t matter?

“For so many years, all I wanted was your love and to make you proud,” Adrien finally settled on.

“I do love you, Adrien. If your mother were here… ” Gabriel croaked.

Adrien looked up to make eye contact with Nathalie. Her eyes shone with tears, but even then, she gave him a half-hearted smile.

Adrien looked back down at his father. “I love you too, Father,” Adrien finally spoke. It wasn’t a lie, but it was spoken in a soft voice, a reassurance of a man’s final words than a whole-hearted declaration. It couldn’t be, not now. Gabriel let out a shaky sigh, both relief and the realization that he had pushed their relationship beyond the barriers of a functional family. And yet, when Gabriel’s eyes began to lose focus, Adrien’s own eyes widened.

“Wait, no, there’s too much- I don’t-,” Adrien scrambled, hands grasping his father’s shirt. There were too many things he wanted to say to the man, too many things he wanted to know. He looked back up at Nathalie, who just shook her head.

When Adrien looked back down at his father, the man’s eyes lay open and unblinking. The hands that had gripped Gabriel’s shirt released their hold and he pushed himself back from the body. He tucked his knees up into a ball, unsure of anything else to do. Plagg nuzzled his neck, a rare occurrence for the ill-tempered kwami.

Nathalie, breaking her usual decorum, moved to sit beside Adrien, holding her arms out for him. Perhaps he should have pulled away. She was his enemy, after all. But she was also the closest thing he had had to a parental figure in years. He leaned back against her and allowed himself to be wrapped in her embrace, one hand wrapped around his shoulders, the other running soothingly through his hair. He found himself sniffling, waves of emotions crashing over him.

“Ladybug will be back soon,” Plagg murmured. Adrien let out a hum of acknowledgment but made no effort to move or transform. Plagg sighed. “You’ll be okay, kid. Someday.”

\---------------------

Ladybug never swore. She was the protector of Paris. It was her job to be a role model for young children everywhere.

“Shit,” she muttered at the sight before her.

Chloe was on the ground, her wrists tied together with the ribbon that had previously held Lila. A length of duct tape covered her mouth.

“What happened?” she asked, crouching beside Chloe and carefully removing the duct tape as to not hurt the girl.

“Lila escaped. I turned my back for one moment and she took advantage of it. Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous,” Chloe scoffed.

Ladybug facepalmed. “Lila is gone?”

“Unless she decided to stay hide in Adrien’s room- which who knows, maybe that’s how she figured she could get close to Adrien- she’s gone.”

“It’s fine,” Ladybug muttered. “It’s all fine. We’ll just have the police look for Lila. It can’t be _that_ hard to find her. And it’s not like she can be akumatized…” Ladybug stiffened as she said the last word.

“Ladybug?” Chloe asked as Ladybug stared straight ahead with eyes wide. “Is everything alright?”

“I don’t know,” she spoke slowly. Lila Rossi had tripped, she remembered that much, right where Ladybug had placed the butterfly Miraculous next to Felix. She wracked her brain trying to remember if the butterfly broach had been there when she had left only moments ago, but she didn’t think it had been. There was a chance that it could have fallen into the water below… but even as Ladybug thought that she knew the truth: Lila Rossi never did anything by accident, she tripped so she could steal the butterfly Miraculous.

“Shit,” Ladybug repeated, barely acknowledging the horrified gasp from the blonde beside her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to just post this. Idk how long these next few chapters will take me. I have outlines and even some scenes written, but I've discovered that pacing for falling action is really hard and weird to write. And of course, they're not quite out of the deep end, yet.  
> As always, please interact, I'd love to know what you all think.


	18. On The Schoolyard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when this was going to be like 12 chapters? That was nice.  
> I have all the outlines and a lot of the scenes written out, but with schoolwork, working on a submission for a literary journal, and hopefully adding to my sinfic, it could be weeks or months until this gets published. But never fear, it will.

“Do you think he’s okay?” Alya leaned over the lunch table to whisper to Nino and Marinette without drawing Adrien’s attention. Not that it mattered; the blonde was sitting a few tables over, hunched in on himself, alone in his own world, standing out in the courtyard filled with groups talking and mingling. _Almost alone_ , Marinette thought, was fairly certain that a certain black kwami had to be close by.

It had only been a little over a week since the revelation and death of Gabriel Agreste. For the majority of Paris, it had been a week to celebrate. The supervillain that had terrorized them for years was now gone. Never mind the fact that the butterfly broach was missing. Marinette had told the police to keep a lookout for Lila Rossi but had neglected to mention the fact that she could become the next Hawkmoth, not wanting to start a national panic just yet.

There were several people for whom the week had not been a week to celebrate. For Marinette, it should’ve been great. Alya had apologized about Lila and Paris’s supervillain had been defeated. For Ladybug, it was a different story, having been a week of conversations with police officers and news reporters and radio silence from her partner. She had decided to hold off appearing on any talk shows until she was certain that her partner could handle it, but it was still important that she explain the bare minimum to the news reporters.

Nathalie Sancouer dealt with her boss’s death whilst undergoing police interrogations. With evidence and eye-witnesses testifying against her, she had no point to plead guilty. As an accomplice, her sentence was shorter than Hawkmoth’s would have been but was long nonetheless. Ladybug had been surprised to find that Dusuu actually missed the woman and promised herself that she would bring the kwami when Nathalie could accept private visitors.

Ladybug had only seen Amelie Graham de Vanily once since the final fight. The woman had moved back into her childhood manor, both to look after her nephew and her sister who remained comatose in a nearby hospital. Felix Graham de Vanily’s body never reappeared, the same older magic that had taken Gabriel Agreste having taken Felix too. Amelie was upset, but assured Ladybug that she didn’t blame her. It didn’t mean the loss didn’t weigh on Ladybug any less.

And then there was of course Adrien Agreste. Everyone knew that the revelation and death had hurt Adrien deeply, but only Marinette could know that the hurt went farther than just _knowing_ : Gabriel Agreste had been his own son’s mortal enemy. Adrien had been there when he had died. She had heard that there had already been a small service for Gabriel Agreste, attended only by family.

“Earth to Marinette!” Alya called, pulling Marinette out of her thoughts.  
“Mm?” Marinette asked. “Oh, yeah. He’s been really withdrawn. I want to help him, but what’s there to say.”

“I’ve tried to talk to my dude, but he just brushes me off,” Nino murmured.

The three friends jumped as a loud clang sounded on the lunch table. All eyes turned to the newcomer. “Apologies,” Kagami said with her usual grace, sitting down. “Are we keeping an eye on Adrien?” Marinette nodded to which Kagami sighed. “I need to talk to him, but I don’t want to burden him more.”

“What about?” Marinette perked up.

“In a few weeks, I will be going to a boarding school in England. I thought I should notify him that we would not be fencing together anymore, though I can come visit anytime,” Kagami said, her voice never wavering.

“Why?” Marinette asked. “Is your mother forcing you to go?”

“No, actually. I looked into this school on my own. It will offer me considerably more freedoms than my mother had.”

“And your mother, who you had to lie to about seeing friends, is letting you attend a boarding school that gives you freedom? How did you manage that, girl?” Alya asked.

Marinette was shocked to see Kagami’s eyes turn stormy, not unlike how Chat’s looked when discussing the news of his father. However, it was gone so quickly, her normal composure returning, that Marinette wondered if she had imagined it. “Let’s just say that there was a conflict of interest and if my mother wishes to maintain her social standing, it’s for the best that I get some freedom for once in my life.”

There was silence around the table for a moment and Marinette wondered if maybe she hadn’t imagined the darkness. She recalled the frustration Tomoe had shown at the guardians’ temple months ago and wondered if it had something to do with that, though there was no good way to address the matter, especially when Marinette shouldn’t even know the existence of the temple.

Thankfully, the silence was broken by a nervous chuckle from Alya. “Well, whatever you had to do, I’m happy for you. Will you be able to have a cell phone?”

Kagami beamed, in a way Marinette hadn’t seen in a long time. “I will. I’ll be able to contact you all anytime.”

Marinette smiled at that. She regretted the rocky start to their friendship, but was glad at the prospect of staying friends.

All four friends were jolted out of their sweet soon-to-be farewell by a high-pitched voice ringing out across the courtyard. “Adrikins!” Chloe Bouregouis called as she and Sabrina, newly reunited following Chloe’s role in the defeat of Felix.

“Huh,” Nino muttered. “That’s one way to get my dude to talk.”

\----------------

Adrien looked up from his lunch- premade by the chef who no longer adhered to Adrien’s previous model diet- to see the blonde girl lean over the table. He gave a weak smile. “Hi, Chloe.” He looked over her shoulder to wear Sabrina gave a bashful smile and wave. He nodded his head at the girl. “Hi, Sabrina.”

His attention was drawn back towards Chloe and her whirlwind of energy. “Did you hear that I’m back in good standing? I even used my Miraculous again.”

“I did. I knew there was good in you,” Adrien gave her a weak smile, glad to see his childhood friend happy. He had been avoiding his other friends, knowing the pitying looks they’d give him, but with Chloe it was different. She had always been so caught up in her own world and now it was a relief.

“Mmf,” Chloe stuck her head up in the air. “I didn’t do it to be a good person. I did it to get my Miraculous back and for people to bow down to me again.”

Adrien shot her a smile. “Sure, you did.”

Chloe suddenly turned bashful. “Listen I was wondering if you’d want to go shopping sometime? Have fun like we used to?”

“I don-” Adrien started.

“Not as a date, but as friends. I’d like to be your friend again,” she amended.

“I’d like that too,” Adrien admitted with a small smile. There was a beat of silence.

“If you ever need-” Chloe started, but Adrien just cut the girl off.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Adrien growled.

“I see. I’ll- um- leave you be,” Chloe said, standing up to go. “Off the record, he was an ass. I know you shouldn’t speak ill and you can be sad, but it doesn’t make that not true.”

Adrien scoffed. “I’ll see you around, Chlo.”

Chloe walked back in the direction of the other tables. Adrien followed her with his eyes, eyes catching on one table in particular. Nino and Aya quickly turned around when his eyes strayed towards them, but Marinette stayed on him until their eyes met. She blushed and looked away. _She really was cute_ , Adrien thought to himself, looking back down at his lunch. _But she deserves better than the son of a terrorist._ But Marinette was just his friends. He had Ladybug waiting for him. _Though she didn’t deserve the son of a terrorist either._

Adrien was brought out of his daydreams by a large thump. He looked up with wide eyes to see a large boy in a dark t-shirt scowling at him. “You!” the boy said. “You’re the son of Hawkmoth.”

“I- what?” Adrien stuttered.

“My friends and family were akumatized and hurt because of him!” The boy yelled. “I think you need to pay.” He brought a fist back and Adrien recoiled in preparation from the punch that never came. Adrien looked back up at the bully, whose face had contorted with pain.

Adrien’s fear melted and he looked behind the bully to see Marinette, Alya, Nino, and Kagami. He now saw why the bully had stopped: Marinette was pinching onto the skin at the back of his left arm.

“Don’t you dare hurt him!” Marinette yelled. “He is not responsible for his father’s crimes! Go now!” Adrien was blown away by the ferocity that had earned her the title of their everyday-Ladybug.

The bully fled, leaving Marinette, Alya, and Nino to shuffle awkwardly in front of Adrien. Kagami was the perfect image of stoicism.

“Does that happen often?” Marinette asked, the first person to break the silence.

Adrien put his hand behind his neck and averted his eyes. “Sometimes. Honestly, it’s more online threats where people can hide behind a screen. It’s actually nice to see someone have the courage to face me in person,” he let out a mirthless chuckle.

“That’s not okay, dude,” Nino said, shaking his head.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Kagami piped in.

“I can handle myself. I should be able to handle myself,” Adrien repeated.

“We’re your friends, Adrien. We want to be there for you,” Marinette said.

“I- I know,” Adrien said. “I just don’t know if I deserve that.”

“Adrien, you had no way of knowing the truth,” Marinette spoke. She thought back to the time she was suspicious of Gabriel Agreste and wondered if Adrien could be thinking of that too.

When Adrien doesn’t speak, the friends take it as a cue to go. “We’re hear if you need us,” Nino said.

Adrien watched his four friends go. It was better this way. They didn’t need his burden.

He looked down and caught Plagg shaking his head at the boy from his pocket. He responded with a quick shake of his head and a sad smile before deflating in on himself.

\--------------

After the interaction with Adrien at lunch, Marinette decided to break her vow of radio silence. That night she called Nadja Chamack as Ladybug and requested an interview in two days. Nadja assured her that she would have a prime time spot, though both women knew that people would tune in anytime Ladybug gave an exclusive interview about the defeat of the villain who terrorized Paris. Ladybug knew she would also have to give an interview to the Ladyblog soon, hopefully, one with Chat Noir, but for the purpose of this interview, she wanted it to be done on a talk show.

All there was to do now was wait. And wait Ladybug would as she sat perched on a rooftop waiting for Chat for the ninth night in a row. She didn’t blame him- there was clearly a lot on his mind-, but it didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt any less.

There was so much she needed to say and he was the only person she could talk to. First, there was the matter of Lila. She didn’t want to start a mass panic by alerting all of Paris, but knew that she needed to make a plan privately with Chat Noir.

Then there was the matter of their identities. A part of her knew she should have told Chat immediately when she found out, but she hadn’t wanted to overwhelm him. Besides, Chat had wanted to reveal their identities to each other for so long and she wanted to still let that reveal happen on his own terms.

Ladybug was brought out of her thoughts by a thud. “Chat Noir!” she gasped after she stood up to see her partner standing there, his green eyes bright against the Parisian night.

“Hey, bugaboo,” he grinned at her. She noticed a strain to it like she had when Gabriel had been revealed as Hawkmoth. Still, she was glad to see her partner.

“It’s so good to see you,” she said. She went in for a hug but Chat stepped back, holding a fist out for an awkward fist bump. She looked at him quizzically, but he just blushed.

“It’s good to see you too,” he said.

“So…” she started at the same time he tries to speak. They both blushed and giggled, looking away from each other.

“You go first,” she said. Ladybug was certain she knew where this was going. _Do you want to reveal our identities?_

“Do you want to go for a run around Paris?” he asked.

“Oh,” Ladybug couldn’t help the pitiful noise from escaping.

“Oh?” Chat raised an eyebrow.

“I just thought that… never mind… a run sounds great,” Ladybug chirped. “I’m sure the Ladyblog will love to pick that up.”

“Oh, um, do you think we can try to avoid the Ladyblog?” Chat asked.

“I- I mean, sure,” Ladybug stuttered. She didn’t know what was going on, but she didn’t like it.

“Thanks.” Chat flashed her a grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

Ladybug nodded anyway and together the two heroes took off across Paris. It was almost normal to be with him like this again, save for them keeping to the shadows. But when they touched back to the same rooftop at the end of the evening, that tension that Ladybug had felt before had returned. She shifted on her feet, unsure what to say.

“Listen, um... there may have been an issue. That Paris doesn’t know about, entirely,” she started, the words uneasy.

“Oh?” Chat asked.

“Lila Rossi may have escaped with the butterfly Miraculous?” Ladybug offered.

“She what?!” Chat exclaimed.

“I meant to tell you earlier!” Ladybug amended. “The police _know_ that she’s dangerous, just not how dangerous. I didn’t want to start a mass panic. I wanted to talk to you frist.”

Chat took a deep breath. “I- okay. It’ll be okay. We have more heroes now and it’ll be fine.”

“More heroes?” Ladybug questioned.

“Well, yeah, now that Hawkmoth is gone, their identities are safe again and you can use them when you need help,” Chat said.

 _But what about just you and me?_ A part of Ladybug wondered. “Yeah, they’ll be helpful,” she said, instead. Ladybug let out a deep breath. “There’s something else-” Ladybug started, before Chat cut her off.

“Our identities?” Chat asked.

“Yes!” Ladybug lit up. This was it. This was the moment she had been waiting for.

“Listen, I know we said some things before we defeated Hawkmoth, but I don’t know if that’s the best idea right now,” Chat said, looking down.

Ladybug’s face fell. “Wait, why?”

“I really can’t explain it. Just please trust me,” Chat pleaded.

Ladybug shook her head, snapping herself out of her daze. “I- yeah, that’s fine.”

“Thanks, LB,” Chat smiled, wrapping her in a hug.

Ladybug’s body stiffened for a moment, too shocked by this weird flip of events. However, she soon melted into the embrace. “Anything for you, Chaton.” There was a brief pause of silence. "I scheduled an interview with Nadja Chamack tomorrow. I thought you should know. We've been radio silent and I figured that Paris deserves to know at least some of what happened. You don't need to come."

"Why wouldn't I be up for it?" Chat asked.

 _Because I know your identity and what happened to you, Adrien_. But that wasn't Ladybug could say, especially when Chat Noir didn't want to reveal their identities. "I don't know. It just was a last-minute decision of mine and I don't want to force you into anything."

Chat looked out over Paris. "I see. I'll- um- think about it." He let out a sigh, still not looking at her face. "Is there anything else?” 

Ladybug sucked in a deep breath, also looking into the Parisian night. What a pair they were, not even looking at each other, scared of the secret the other one held. “I was thinking about stopping by the Agreste kid’s mansion to see how he is doing tomorrow night," Ladybug said.

Ladybug was surprised to see Chat whip his head around out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head to face him and was shocked to find his eyes taking on that stormy look again. “Why?” Chat asked, his voice rough. “Adrien Agreste lived with Hawkmoth for years. Shouldn’t he have realized that?”

Oh, that was where that dark look came from. “No. I don’t think so. He’s helped us before and I just want to make sure that he is okay,” Ladybug said, her voice soft.

Chat shifted his eyes back to Paris, but she could see his face begin to soften. “Oh. Yeah, I think he’d really like a visit from his favorite superhero.”

“Who said that I’m his favorite superhero?” Ladybug teased.

Chat’s voice softened. “Anyone whose favorite superhero isn’t you is crazy.”

Ladybug blushed. “Chat…”

“It’s true,” he said. He seemed to realize what he said and cleared his throat. “I’ll see you around.”

Ladybug watched as her partner vault across the Parisian skylines. As she watched his form disappear into the night, her mind began to wander. Hadn’t Chat always been the one to want to reveal their identities? And the fact that she was all, but certain she knew his identity just complicated the situation. Did he not want to reveal his identity because he was worried that she would judge him for being Adrien Agreste? Hopefully, her interview and going to see him tomorrow would change that.

\-----------

Plagg looked at his chosen in his dark bedroom, lit solely by the waning moonlight. “Wasn’t it fun being Chat Noir and jumping around Paris with Ladybug?”

“Of course it is,” Adrien sighed, looking out into Paris. “But I just don’t know if I can keep it up right now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment what you like, dislike, theories, etc. Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to leave kudos or comments (likes, dislikes, general comments)! Constructive criticism is always appreciated (I do this to practice, improve, and define my writing style and would love to hear what works and what doesn't)!  
> 


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